WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.899 Welcome back to The Deep Dive, the place where 00:00:01.899 --> 00:00:04.339 we take stacks of sources, articles, research, 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:06.700 personal notes, and deliver the distilled knowledge 00:00:06.700 --> 00:00:09.500 you need to be truly well -informed. Our goal 00:00:09.500 --> 00:00:11.960 is to give you that shortcut, that deep understanding 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:15.259 of the complex forces shaping our world, one 00:00:15.259 --> 00:00:18.100 subject at a time. And today we are diving deep 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:22.039 into the structure and sustenance of an individual 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:25.640 who is, well, arguably less a celebrity and more 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:29.600 a self -contained global economic entity. Thomas 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.560 Cruise, Mpatha IV. Known to everyone, of course, 00:00:32.659 --> 00:00:34.820 as Tom Cruise. Our mission today is really to 00:00:34.820 --> 00:00:37.640 dissect the anatomy of this Hollywood icon. Right. 00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:39.460 We're going to explore that unique intensity 00:00:39.460 --> 00:00:41.539 that's allowed him to achieve, you know, this 00:00:41.539 --> 00:00:44.280 unparalleled commercial success and career longevity. 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:47.000 While at the same time generating massive and, 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:49.380 I mean, enduring public controversy over his 00:00:49.380 --> 00:00:52.119 personal choices and his very outspoken religious 00:00:52.119 --> 00:00:54.799 advocacy. It's a true duality. OK, so let's unpack 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:56.780 that. When we say unparalleled commercial success, 00:00:57.020 --> 00:00:59.079 we really need to establish the scale of this 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:01.109 right away. You have to grasp the sheer. financial 00:01:01.109 --> 00:01:04.069 gravity this man exerts. You have to start there 00:01:04.069 --> 00:01:06.569 because the money, that's the engine that gives 00:01:06.569 --> 00:01:08.269 him all the leverage. So what are we talking 00:01:08.269 --> 00:01:11.650 about numbers wise? Okay. So as of 2025, his 00:01:11.650 --> 00:01:15.709 films have grossed over $13 .3 billion worldwide. 00:01:17.069 --> 00:01:20.590 Wow. Yeah. I mean, that's a number that places 00:01:20.590 --> 00:01:23.349 him squarely in the absolute highest echelon 00:01:23.349 --> 00:01:25.810 of the industry's economic forces. He was consistently 00:01:25.810 --> 00:01:29.010 one of the world's highest paid actors. And what's 00:01:29.010 --> 00:01:30.950 really astonishing to me about that figure is 00:01:30.950 --> 00:01:33.849 the consistency. It's not just one massive hit 00:01:33.849 --> 00:01:36.989 carrying the whole load. It's relentless. Exactly. 00:01:36.989 --> 00:01:40.730 I found this data point just illuminating. He 00:01:40.730 --> 00:01:42.950 holds the Guinness World Record for the most 00:01:42.950 --> 00:01:45.989 consecutive $100 million grossing movies. Seven 00:01:45.989 --> 00:01:49.079 of them. Seven films sequentially between 2011 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.780 and 2018. That's almost a decade of being a risk 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:54.120 free investment for any studio. A guaranteed 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:56.040 success. And that's why he was ranked as the 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:58.219 world's most powerful celebrity by Forbes way 00:01:58.219 --> 00:02:01.219 back in 2006. And that power critically has not 00:02:01.219 --> 00:02:03.459 faded. I mean, look at the accolades he's received 00:02:03.459 --> 00:02:05.859 just in the last year or so. Right. They signal 00:02:05.859 --> 00:02:08.500 this enduring status. He recently got an honorary 00:02:08.500 --> 00:02:11.319 Palme d 'Or at Cannes. The British Film Institute 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:15.180 Fellowship in 2025, an Academy Honorary Award 00:02:15.180 --> 00:02:18.860 also in 2025. These are serious high culture 00:02:18.860 --> 00:02:21.719 legacy honors. And then on a completely different 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:24.460 track, you have the award he got in 2024. The 00:02:24.460 --> 00:02:26.900 U .S. Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:29.719 For his outstanding contributions to the military 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.159 through his screen roles, you know, specifically 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:35.379 referencing the Top Gun franchise. So you see 00:02:35.379 --> 00:02:37.219 this fascinating intersection right there. He's 00:02:37.219 --> 00:02:39.599 this huge commercial entity. He's getting elite 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:42.460 film honors and he's getting recognition from 00:02:42.460 --> 00:02:45.020 powerful institutions like the military. It's 00:02:45.020 --> 00:02:48.840 a complex picture in that complex, powerful and. 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:51.699 Highly controlled modern structure is what we're 00:02:51.699 --> 00:02:53.719 really investigating today. But to understand 00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:56.139 the relentless drive, that quest for control 00:02:56.139 --> 00:02:58.539 that fuels it all, we have to look at the foundation. 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:00.759 You have to. You have to examine how a genuinely 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:03.659 challenging start, rooted in instability and 00:03:03.659 --> 00:03:06.719 hardship, created this global icon. Exactly. 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:09.360 Let's dive into that origin story because it 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.900 provides such a stark, profound contrast to the 00:03:11.900 --> 00:03:14.099 figure we know now. He was born Thomas Cruise 00:03:14.099 --> 00:03:18.020 Mopoth of the Firth, July 3rd, 1962, in Syracuse, 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:20.469 New York. And the sources all describe him growing 00:03:20.469 --> 00:03:23.150 up in near poverty. He had a Catholic upbringing, 00:03:23.430 --> 00:03:27.789 ancestry tracing back to English, German and 00:03:27.789 --> 00:03:31.189 Irish roots. And he has three older sisters, 00:03:31.409 --> 00:03:34.530 Leanne, Marion and Cass. And it's worth noting 00:03:34.530 --> 00:03:36.969 his cousin, William Apother, also became an actor. 00:03:37.150 --> 00:03:39.409 He actually appeared in five films alongside 00:03:39.409 --> 00:03:42.289 Cruise. The industry connection runs in the family. 00:03:42.509 --> 00:03:45.069 It does. But the most defining and probably the 00:03:45.069 --> 00:03:48.020 most traumatic element of his early life. was 00:03:48.020 --> 00:03:50.340 his relationship with his father, Thomas Cruise 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:53.800 Mopatha III. Who died in 1984. Right. And Cruise 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:56.400 has been unflinchingly candid about this relationship. 00:03:56.699 --> 00:03:59.400 He paints a deeply, deeply troubling picture. 00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:01.539 He described his father using these incredibly 00:04:01.539 --> 00:04:04.919 powerful, loaded terms. A merchant of chaos. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:07.699 A bully. A coward. He spoke specifically about 00:04:07.699 --> 00:04:10.180 being beaten by him. He said his father's technique 00:04:10.180 --> 00:04:12.919 was to, quote, lull you in, make you feel safe, 00:04:12.979 --> 00:04:16.009 and then bang. That pattern. That unpredictable, 00:04:16.370 --> 00:04:19.110 manipulative aggression is often cited as a root 00:04:19.110 --> 00:04:21.470 cause for later personality traits. Like the 00:04:21.470 --> 00:04:24.790 need for absolute control. And that intensity 00:04:24.790 --> 00:04:27.670 we see in his professional life. Yeah. And any 00:04:27.670 --> 00:04:30.189 need for stability was just constantly undermined 00:04:30.189 --> 00:04:33.269 by their lifestyle. The sources indicate a truly 00:04:33.269 --> 00:04:36.189 nomadic childhood. I mean, he attended a staggering 00:04:36.189 --> 00:04:39.769 15 schools in 14 years. Just think about that, 00:04:39.810 --> 00:04:43.110 15 schools. What does that do to a young person's 00:04:43.110 --> 00:04:45.329 ability to form friendships or feel connected 00:04:45.329 --> 00:04:47.810 to a community? You're constantly the new kid, 00:04:47.930 --> 00:04:50.629 constantly adapting. And that nomadic life even 00:04:50.629 --> 00:04:52.250 took them out of the country for a while. It 00:04:52.250 --> 00:04:56.550 did, to Canada. In late 1971, his father took 00:04:56.550 --> 00:04:58.550 a job as a defense consultant with the Canadian 00:04:58.550 --> 00:05:00.930 Armed Forces, and the family moved to Beacon 00:05:00.930 --> 00:05:03.509 Hill in Ottawa. And he was there for fourth and 00:05:03.509 --> 00:05:05.209 fifth grade. And it was actually in the fourth 00:05:05.209 --> 00:05:07.009 grade, right in the middle of all that chaos, 00:05:07.329 --> 00:05:09.610 that the performer first emerged. Oh, really? 00:05:09.889 --> 00:05:12.550 Yeah. He participated in an improvised play called 00:05:12.550 --> 00:05:16.089 I .T. And the drama organizers were already commenting 00:05:16.089 --> 00:05:18.629 on his talent, noting his excellent movement 00:05:18.629 --> 00:05:21.189 and improvisation skills. So even as a kid, he 00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:23.970 was finding refuge and expression in performance. 00:05:24.509 --> 00:05:28.029 It seems so. But before that path really solidified, 00:05:28.149 --> 00:05:32.389 there was this very brief detour. Into religious 00:05:32.389 --> 00:05:35.110 life. He briefly attended St. Francis Seminary 00:05:35.110 --> 00:05:36.930 in Cincinnati. On a Catholic Church scholarship, 00:05:37.230 --> 00:05:40.170 aspiring to become a Franciscan priest. But he 00:05:40.170 --> 00:05:42.509 only lasted a year. And the reasons why he left 00:05:42.509 --> 00:05:45.529 are a bit murky, right? Very murky. Conflicting 00:05:45.529 --> 00:05:48.069 accounts. Some former priests suggested he left 00:05:48.069 --> 00:05:50.110 just because his family relocated again, which 00:05:50.110 --> 00:05:52.170 would fit the pattern. But there's another story. 00:05:52.529 --> 00:05:54.850 Right. A former classmate claimed they were both 00:05:54.850 --> 00:05:57.350 asked to leave after getting caught taking liquor. 00:05:58.410 --> 00:06:00.970 Little teenage rebellion. So whatever the reason, 00:06:01.029 --> 00:06:03.310 that early religious path was quickly abandoned. 00:06:03.910 --> 00:06:06.589 But that search for structure and a higher meaning, 00:06:06.769 --> 00:06:09.189 that clearly remained a part of his psychological 00:06:09.189 --> 00:06:11.750 makeup. Definitely. He eventually settled down 00:06:11.750 --> 00:06:13.850 long enough to graduate from Glen Ridge High 00:06:13.850 --> 00:06:17.209 School in New Jersey in 1980. Had one final brush 00:06:17.209 --> 00:06:20.009 with traditional high school life, too. He played 00:06:20.009 --> 00:06:22.310 linebacker on the varsity football team. Only 00:06:22.310 --> 00:06:24.189 to get cut after getting caught drinking beer 00:06:24.189 --> 00:06:27.019 before a game. So by age 18, with the blessing 00:06:27.019 --> 00:06:29.199 of his mom and his stepfather, he moves to New 00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:31.660 York City to pursue acting. Works as a busboy, 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.660 does the odd jobs before heading out to L .A., 00:06:34.660 --> 00:06:37.819 signing with CAA and launching into a career 00:06:37.819 --> 00:06:40.800 trajectory that, well, it has very few equals. 00:06:41.230 --> 00:06:43.189 Which brings us to the evolution of that career. 00:06:43.389 --> 00:06:46.310 We need to trace this path from, you know, bit 00:06:46.310 --> 00:06:49.790 parts to franchise icon because it really illustrates 00:06:49.790 --> 00:06:51.930 the precision with which he built his brand. 00:06:52.189 --> 00:06:54.790 The 1980s were all about the breakthrough. His 00:06:54.790 --> 00:06:57.870 debut was a tiny, uncredited part in Endless 00:06:57.870 --> 00:07:01.050 Love in 1981. But he quickly secured a much bigger 00:07:01.050 --> 00:07:03.250 supporting role later that same year in Taps. 00:07:03.389 --> 00:07:05.490 And you can already see that intensity, that 00:07:05.490 --> 00:07:07.810 stream presence. He was part of that iconic ensemble 00:07:07.810 --> 00:07:10.290 cast in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders. 00:07:10.509 --> 00:07:12.850 Right. Alongside a whole generation of future 00:07:12.850 --> 00:07:15.389 stars, Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe. 00:07:15.509 --> 00:07:18.129 He was a launchpad for sure. But the film that 00:07:18.129 --> 00:07:20.889 truly cemented his status, the one that defined 00:07:20.889 --> 00:07:23.730 him for a generation, came later that year. Risky 00:07:23.730 --> 00:07:26.629 Business. Risky Business. Described in the sources 00:07:26.629 --> 00:07:30.350 as a Generation X classic. It introduced that 00:07:30.350 --> 00:07:33.269 charismatic, aspirational, slightly rebellious 00:07:33.269 --> 00:07:36.290 image that defined his early appeal. And then 00:07:36.290 --> 00:07:38.829 that appeal just exploded globally with Top Gun 00:07:38.829 --> 00:07:42.569 in 1986. That cemented him as a superstar and, 00:07:42.649 --> 00:07:44.670 let's be honest, an international sex symbol. 00:07:45.209 --> 00:07:47.550 Undeniably. But here's where the career planning 00:07:47.550 --> 00:07:49.870 gets really sophisticated. He could have just 00:07:49.870 --> 00:07:52.550 leaned into that action heartthrob mold forever. 00:07:52.850 --> 00:07:55.310 But he didn't. He immediately pivoted to chase 00:07:55.310 --> 00:07:57.730 critical legitimacy. The same year as Top Gun, 00:07:57.850 --> 00:08:00.689 he stars alongside the legend Paul Newman in 00:08:00.689 --> 00:08:02.870 Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money. And critics 00:08:02.870 --> 00:08:05.189 took notice. The Washington Post praised their 00:08:05.189 --> 00:08:07.750 chemistry, saying they both genuinely convinced 00:08:07.750 --> 00:08:10.149 the audience they were top -notch pool hustlers. 00:08:10.350 --> 00:08:12.009 He followed that up with more dramatic roles, 00:08:12.189 --> 00:08:14.310 notably in the Best Picture winner Rain Man in 00:08:14.310 --> 00:08:18.050 88, before tackling the monumental role in 1989's 00:08:18.050 --> 00:08:21.430 Born on the Fourth of July. And that role, playing 00:08:21.430 --> 00:08:24.089 the real -life paralyzed Vietnam veteran Ron 00:08:24.089 --> 00:08:26.750 Kovach, that was transformational. It earned 00:08:26.750 --> 00:08:29.110 him his first Golden Globe and his first Competitive 00:08:29.110 --> 00:08:32.009 Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. I remember 00:08:32.009 --> 00:08:34.909 Roger Ebert's review. He wrote, Nothing Cruise 00:08:34.909 --> 00:08:37.250 has done will prepare you for what he does in 00:08:37.250 --> 00:08:39.710 Born on the Fourth of July. His performance is 00:08:39.710 --> 00:08:41.889 so good that the movie lives through it. High 00:08:41.889 --> 00:08:44.830 praise. Whoa. And that established him as a serious, 00:08:44.970 --> 00:08:48.070 committed, dramatic actor. And it was this blend, 00:08:48.250 --> 00:08:50.470 this commercial viability and dramatic ambition 00:08:50.470 --> 00:08:53.929 that defined his path. So much so that Roger 00:08:53.929 --> 00:08:56.470 Ebert actually identified the pattern. Yeah. 00:08:56.549 --> 00:08:58.610 He formalized it, defining what he called the 00:08:58.610 --> 00:09:01.230 Tom Cruise picture formula. The secret blueprint. 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:04.490 Basically, it offers this critical insight into 00:09:04.490 --> 00:09:07.789 the structural success of his films. He identified 00:09:07.789 --> 00:09:10.529 nine key ingredients that were present in his 00:09:10.529 --> 00:09:12.750 most successful early work. Okay, let's break 00:09:12.750 --> 00:09:14.990 this down. What are they? So number one, the 00:09:14.990 --> 00:09:18.450 character. Usually a young, hot shot underachiever. 00:09:18.850 --> 00:09:21.690 Arrogant, but deeply talented. Got it. Maverick, 00:09:21.690 --> 00:09:25.490 number two. The mentor. The wise, older figure 00:09:25.490 --> 00:09:27.570 who guides him. Think Paul Newman in The Color 00:09:27.570 --> 00:09:30.029 of Money. Right. Then there's the superior woman. 00:09:30.129 --> 00:09:32.629 Smart, strong, often helps him focus. Exactly. 00:09:33.029 --> 00:09:35.889 Then the craft, the specific, highly specialized 00:09:35.889 --> 00:09:38.269 skill he has to master. Flying, playing pool, 00:09:38.509 --> 00:09:42.049 lawyering. And the arena, the high stakes place 00:09:42.049 --> 00:09:45.250 where that craft gets tested. A cockpit, a courtroom. 00:09:45.789 --> 00:09:48.559 Then you have the arcana. which is the specialized 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:50.799 knowledge or secret language of that world. The 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:53.960 jargon. The jargon, yeah. Then the trail, the 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:56.860 journey of mastery, the proto -enemy, a rival 00:09:56.860 --> 00:10:00.860 who is basically him but less refined, like Iceman. 00:10:01.019 --> 00:10:03.279 And finally, the eventual enemy, the external 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.759 force he has to face. And what's brilliant is 00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:08.799 how versatile that structure is. It's a reliable 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:11.179 framework. but you can create very different 00:10:11.179 --> 00:10:13.059 characters with them. You can see that when you 00:10:13.059 --> 00:10:15.879 compare Top Gun to a later film like A Few Good 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:18.879 Men. Exactly. In Top Gun, Pete Mitchell is the 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:20.960 hotshot who needs to reign in the discipline. 00:10:21.299 --> 00:10:23.720 He needs to stop flying by instinct and follow 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.320 the rules. But in A Few Good Men, his character, 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:28.940 Lieutenant Daniel Caffey, is the opposite. He's 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:31.440 brilliant, but lazy. He always takes plea bargains. 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:34.019 He's the ultimate underachiever. So the arc of 00:10:34.019 --> 00:10:36.710 that film is the reverse. He has to shed the 00:10:36.710 --> 00:10:39.309 procedural discipline and let it go and finally 00:10:39.309 --> 00:10:41.029 see what he can do when he actually fights a 00:10:41.029 --> 00:10:43.909 case. The formula works both ways. So moving 00:10:43.909 --> 00:10:46.710 into the 1990s, he keeps up that high wire act, 00:10:46.909 --> 00:10:49.330 balancing performance with commercial appeal 00:10:49.330 --> 00:10:53.289 while also, and this is key, laying the groundwork 00:10:53.289 --> 00:10:55.950 to become a producer. The decade starts with 00:10:55.950 --> 00:10:58.570 more personal projects. He starred opposite his 00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:00.909 then wife, Nicole Kidman, in Days of Thunder 00:11:00.909 --> 00:11:03.639 and the epic Far and Away. And then he delivered 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:06.120 another massive commercial hit with the legal 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:10.519 thriller The Firm in 1993, proving he could carry 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:13.980 a big John Grisham novel into blockbuster territory. 00:11:14.340 --> 00:11:16.240 But maybe the most fascinating story from this 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.480 period is about his casting in 1994's Interview 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:22.240 with the Vampire. Oh, the Anne Rice controversy. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.940 Yes. The sources detail the author's initial 00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:28.049 outrage. She was extremely outspoken, arguing 00:11:28.049 --> 00:11:30.049 publicly that he was completely wrong for the 00:11:30.049 --> 00:11:32.029 role of the vampire Lestat. And then her turnaround 00:11:32.029 --> 00:11:34.350 was just spectacular. It's a perfect illustration 00:11:34.350 --> 00:11:37.250 of his onscreen power. After she saw the film, 00:11:37.370 --> 00:11:39.409 she was so impressed that she bought a full two 00:11:39.409 --> 00:11:42.289 -page ad in Daily Variety. Just to publicly apologize 00:11:42.289 --> 00:11:44.450 for her earlier doubts and praise his performance. 00:11:44.830 --> 00:11:47.750 A two -page ad. We estimated that cost over $7 00:11:47.750 --> 00:11:51.210 ,700 back then. That's more than $16 ,000 today. 00:11:51.409 --> 00:11:54.419 That gesture. just speaks volumes the pivotal 00:11:54.419 --> 00:11:58.100 year though had to be 1996. without a doubt the 00:11:58.100 --> 00:12:00.740 birth of ethan hunt the launch of the mission 00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:04.679 impossible franchise and crucially this was the 00:12:04.679 --> 00:12:07.360 first project where he officially served as a 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:10.600 producer alongside paula wagner the actor was 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:13.039 now also the boss and at the same time he was 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.299 still proving he could handle serious non -action 00:12:15.299 --> 00:12:19.230 roles That same year, Jerry Maguire was a massive 00:12:19.230 --> 00:12:21.889 critical and financial success. Grossed over 00:12:21.889 --> 00:12:24.690 $273 million, it earned him his second Golden 00:12:24.690 --> 00:12:27.169 Globe and his second Oscar nomination for Best 00:12:27.169 --> 00:12:29.830 Actor. He closed out the decade with two completely 00:12:29.830 --> 00:12:32.340 different high -profile projects. The intense 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:34.539 collaboration with Stanley Kubrick on Eyes Wide 00:12:34.539 --> 00:12:37.100 Shut. And that rare, chaotic supporting role 00:12:37.100 --> 00:12:39.860 in Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia. That Magnolia 00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:41.980 performance, playing the motivational speaker 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:45.159 Frank T .J. Mackey. That was his critical apex 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:47.539 for the 90s. Rolling Stone called it a revelation. 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:51.200 It earned him his third Golden Globe and an Oscar 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:54.299 nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He proved 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:56.799 he could command the screen as a lead and steal 00:12:56.799 --> 00:12:59.799 the show as a supporting player. So by the 2000s, 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:03.320 the focus shifts. Firmly. He becomes the established 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:06.000 action star and sci -fi powerhouse. With good 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:09.899 reason. Mission. Impossible 2 in 2000 was the 00:13:09.899 --> 00:13:12.299 highest grossing film globally that year. It 00:13:12.299 --> 00:13:14.519 cemented the franchise's economic dominance. 00:13:14.940 --> 00:13:17.120 He then moved into that huge collaboration with 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:19.559 Steven Spielberg, starting with Minority Report 00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:22.360 in 2002. Which is now, you know, routinely included 00:13:22.360 --> 00:13:24.860 in lists of the greatest sci -fi films of all 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:27.379 time. It shows he could pick projects with lasting 00:13:27.379 --> 00:13:30.190 artistic merit. Their second collaboration, War 00:13:30.190 --> 00:13:32.549 of the Worlds in 2005, was another box office 00:13:32.549 --> 00:13:35.009 juggernaut, fourth highest grossing film of that 00:13:35.009 --> 00:13:37.190 year. But he was still picking challenging dramatic 00:13:37.190 --> 00:13:39.570 roles, too. He did The Last Samurai and got a 00:13:39.570 --> 00:13:41.610 lot of critical praise for playing against type 00:13:41.610 --> 00:13:44.190 as the villain Vincent in Michael Mann's Collateral. 00:13:44.330 --> 00:13:46.950 Critics loved that one. They called it a stylish 00:13:46.950 --> 00:13:50.049 and compelling noir thriller, driven by Cruise's 00:13:50.049 --> 00:13:52.799 lean, villainous performance. What stands out 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:54.799 about this decade, though, is that box office 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.860 resilience we talked about. Nine of the 10 films 00:13:57.860 --> 00:14:00.539 he starred in during the 2000s grossed more than 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:04.259 $100 million. That level of reliability is almost 00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:07.000 unheard of. And for a bit of fun, he showed his 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:10.259 comedic side with that hilarious, almost unrecognizable 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:13.139 performance as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder. 00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:15.600 Which even got him a Golden Globe nomination. 00:14:16.330 --> 00:14:20.090 So as we move into the 2010s and 2020s, the narrative 00:14:20.090 --> 00:14:22.950 becomes all about the stunt icon. Absolutely. 00:14:23.409 --> 00:14:25.889 While he had hits like Jack Reacher and Edge 00:14:25.889 --> 00:14:28.690 of Tomorrow, the Mission Impossible franchise 00:14:28.690 --> 00:14:31.450 became the central vehicle for his unique brand 00:14:31.450 --> 00:14:34.600 of physically demanding real world action. Ghost 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:38.039 Protocol in 2011 was huge, but Fallout in 2018 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:40.539 really cemented the franchise's peak. It grossed 00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:43.820 over $791 million. That was his biggest commercial 00:14:43.820 --> 00:14:46.259 success, unadjusted for inflation, up until... 00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:49.120 Maverick. Top Gun Maverick in 2022, the ultimate 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.299 career peak of this era. Premiered at Cannes, 00:14:51.299 --> 00:14:53.100 where he got his honorary Palme d 'Or, and the 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:55.019 film just became an immediate cultural phenomenon. 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:58.120 It broke records, grossed over a billion dollars 00:14:58.120 --> 00:15:00.679 worldwide, making it his highest -grossing film 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.000 ever. But what's essential to understand here 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:05.500 isn't just the billion dollars. It's the financial 00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:08.480 structure behind that success. Right. The sources 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:11.299 say he earned a combined pay package of $100 00:15:11.299 --> 00:15:14.100 million for Maverick. And that wasn't just a 00:15:14.100 --> 00:15:17.419 salary. That figure includes his guaranteed upfront 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:20.440 pay, significant cuts of the ticket sales after 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:23.000 the studio recouped its costs, and a substantial 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:25.200 slice of the home entertainment and streaming 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:28.419 revenues. This deal structure is key. It transforms 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:30.820 the actor into a mandatory financial partner. 00:15:30.940 --> 00:15:34.000 It guarantees maximum wealth and maximum control. 00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:36.720 But even the most self -sustaining icon is subject 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:39.659 to market forces. We saw that in 2023 with Mission 00:15:39.659 --> 00:15:42.200 Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1. Critically 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:44.909 acclaimed. continued the franchise's hot streak, 00:15:45.049 --> 00:15:48.490 but its box office was disappointing relative 00:15:48.490 --> 00:15:51.149 to expectations. And the reason was pure cultural 00:15:51.149 --> 00:15:53.309 synergy, the overwhelming phenomenon known as 00:15:53.309 --> 00:15:55.590 Barbenheimer. The dual release of Barbie and 00:15:55.590 --> 00:15:58.750 Oppenheimer. It showed that even a globally reliable 00:15:58.750 --> 00:16:02.070 Tom Cruise vehicle needs a clear runway when 00:16:02.070 --> 00:16:04.990 you have two massive, unique cultural events 00:16:04.990 --> 00:16:08.090 competing for the same screens. Even Ethan Hunt 00:16:08.090 --> 00:16:10.950 struggles to dominate. Looking ahead, the focus 00:16:10.950 --> 00:16:13.419 is shifting again. He's got the final Ethan Hunt 00:16:13.419 --> 00:16:16.580 film, Mission Impossible, The Final Reckoning, 00:16:16.659 --> 00:16:20.419 set for May 2025. And in a highly symbolic move, 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:23.659 he's set to star in Digger, directed by Alejandro 00:16:23.659 --> 00:16:26.360 Gonzalez Iñárritu. And that marks his first film 00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:29.200 with Warner Bros. in 12 years. Which leads us 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.100 directly into the power dynamics of Hollywood. 00:16:31.629 --> 00:16:34.330 his remarkable acumen as a producer. It's time 00:16:34.330 --> 00:16:36.230 to move beyond the stunts and look at the corporate 00:16:36.230 --> 00:16:38.070 architecture that allows the stunts to happen. 00:16:38.250 --> 00:16:40.610 The formation of Cruz Wagner Productions in 1993 00:16:40.610 --> 00:16:43.470 with Paul Wagner was foundational. That was the 00:16:43.470 --> 00:16:45.750 moment the actor became the ultimate power broker. 00:16:46.070 --> 00:16:48.610 That entity immediately gave him control over 00:16:48.610 --> 00:16:50.669 his project, starting with Mission Impossible 00:16:50.669 --> 00:16:53.250 in 96. But what proves their genuine business 00:16:53.250 --> 00:16:55.470 ambition is that they didn't just make his own 00:16:55.470 --> 00:16:58.370 movies. Cruz Wagner produced critically acclaimed 00:16:58.370 --> 00:17:01.610 films where Cruz didn't appear. Like the others, 00:17:01.789 --> 00:17:04.970 Shattered Glass, the gritty cop drama NARC. This 00:17:04.970 --> 00:17:07.150 shows a genuine interest in the business of filmmaking, 00:17:07.410 --> 00:17:09.730 not just securing his own paycheck. And this 00:17:09.730 --> 00:17:12.009 is where the true analysis of his Hollywood standing 00:17:12.009 --> 00:17:14.869 comes into focus. Hollywood economist Edward 00:17:14.869 --> 00:17:17.529 J. Epstein assessed him in 2005 as one of the 00:17:17.529 --> 00:17:20.210 most powerful and wealthiest forces in the industry. 00:17:20.470 --> 00:17:22.769 He put him in a league with George Lucas, Steven 00:17:22.769 --> 00:17:25.859 Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer. Epstein argued 00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:28.180 he was one of the few producers who could genuinely 00:17:28.180 --> 00:17:31.079 guarantee the success of a billion dollar franchise. 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:34.859 Largely because of his global draw and his contractual 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:38.160 ability to demand these astronomical profit shares. 00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:40.740 He emphasized that the public's obsession with 00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:44.220 Cruise's tabloid life often obscures a full appreciation 00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:47.539 of his exceptional commercial prowess. His success 00:17:47.539 --> 00:17:49.579 is structurally guaranteed through these deals. 00:17:49.700 --> 00:17:52.220 It gives him autonomy that's almost unheard of 00:17:52.220 --> 00:17:54.910 for an actor. But even a machine. this sophisticated 00:17:54.910 --> 00:17:58.049 can run into corporate friction, we need to talk 00:17:58.049 --> 00:18:00.869 about the highly publicized 2006 breakup with 00:18:00.869 --> 00:18:05.089 Paramount Pictures. A 14 -year partnership. Viacom 00:18:05.089 --> 00:18:08.250 chairman Sumner Redstone publicly cited economic 00:18:08.250 --> 00:18:10.849 damage caused by Cruz's controversial public 00:18:10.849 --> 00:18:13.690 behavior as the reason for ending it. But that's 00:18:13.690 --> 00:18:16.609 the public story. It is. It's fascinating because 00:18:16.609 --> 00:18:19.329 the sources reveal a much more complex financial 00:18:19.329 --> 00:18:22.750 reality. Cruz Wagner claimed Redstone's announcement 00:18:22.750 --> 00:18:25.190 was just a face -saving move after they had already 00:18:25.190 --> 00:18:27.930 secured other financing. And industry analysts 00:18:27.930 --> 00:18:31.690 offered a third and probably more likely theory. 00:18:31.970 --> 00:18:34.650 The actual issue was almost certainly Paramount's 00:18:34.650 --> 00:18:37.210 unhappiness over Cruz Wagner's exceptionally 00:18:37.210 --> 00:18:39.230 large share of the DVD sales from the Mission 00:18:39.230 --> 00:18:41.750 Impossible franchise. So the public scandal narrative 00:18:41.750 --> 00:18:44.470 was just a convenient cover. For standard high 00:18:44.470 --> 00:18:47.150 stakes corporate financial friction. The fight 00:18:47.150 --> 00:18:49.069 wasn't about the couch jumping. It was about 00:18:49.069 --> 00:18:51.470 who owned the deep, consistent revenue stream 00:18:51.470 --> 00:18:54.069 from home video sales, which were massive back 00:18:54.069 --> 00:18:56.470 then. After that divorce from Paramount, Cruise 00:18:56.470 --> 00:18:58.849 and Wagner immediately took over management of 00:18:58.849 --> 00:19:01.869 the film studio United Artists. In November 2006, 00:19:02.269 --> 00:19:05.329 Cruise was the producer star, Wagner was CEO. 00:19:05.670 --> 00:19:08.369 They greenlit projects like Lions for Lambs and 00:19:08.369 --> 00:19:10.450 Valkyrie. That partnership was short -lived. 00:19:10.650 --> 00:19:13.670 Wagner stepped down in 2008. But it proved that 00:19:13.670 --> 00:19:16.309 Cruise, the producer, wasn't dependent on a single 00:19:16.309 --> 00:19:19.190 major studio. Exactly. He eventually returned 00:19:19.190 --> 00:19:21.690 to Paramount as producer and star for Ghost Protocol. 00:19:22.109 --> 00:19:25.029 signaling a temporary truce based purely on financial 00:19:25.029 --> 00:19:27.789 viability. And that viability continues to dictate 00:19:27.789 --> 00:19:30.049 his strategy. The big announcement in January 00:19:30.049 --> 00:19:33.430 2024, that new strategic partnership with Warner 00:19:33.430 --> 00:19:37.190 Bros. Discovery. It's highly instructive. It 00:19:37.190 --> 00:19:40.670 confirms his enduring power. Major studio shakeups, 00:19:40.750 --> 00:19:44.440 controversy, executive changes. They don't sideline 00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:46.420 him, they just prompt a strategic pivot to the 00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:48.759 next major partner who can meet his terms. It's 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:51.380 complete self -determination. The actor and producer 00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:53.980 holds the leverage, not the studio. Which brings 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:56.220 us to the other side of the ledger, the private 00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:58.559 life and religious advocacy that have provided 00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:01.380 this relentless friction against that meticulously 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:03.960 controlled professional image. His personal life, 00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:06.480 especially his marriages, is inextricably linked 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:08.940 to his faith. His first marriage was to actress 00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:13.460 Mimi Rogers from 1987 to 1990. Rogers was a Scientology 00:20:13.460 --> 00:20:15.859 auditor, and she was the one who introduced Cruz 00:20:15.859 --> 00:20:19.140 to the organization in 1986. That was the catalyst 00:20:19.140 --> 00:20:21.539 for the entire next phase of his life. Their 00:20:21.539 --> 00:20:23.740 split became very public when Rogers gave an 00:20:23.740 --> 00:20:26.779 interview in 1993 and mentioned he had considered 00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:29.660 becoming a monk. She later retracted those comments, 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:32.019 but friends suggested that retraction was highly 00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:34.910 pressured. With Cruz's team warning her career 00:20:34.910 --> 00:20:37.329 would be over unless she did. The settlement 00:20:37.329 --> 00:20:40.869 was reportedly $4 million. Then came his second 00:20:40.869 --> 00:20:44.369 highest profile marriage to Nicole Kidman. They 00:20:44.369 --> 00:20:46.509 met on the set of Days of Thunder, married in 00:20:46.509 --> 00:20:48.990 1990 and adopted two children. That marriage 00:20:48.990 --> 00:20:51.920 ended in 2001. But what's particularly notable 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:54.460 here are the later, very concerning allegations 00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:56.400 about the church's involvement in that split. 00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:58.980 Former high ranking church spokesperson Mike 00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:01.900 Rinder claimed the Church of Scientology actively 00:21:01.900 --> 00:21:04.660 worked to push them apart, viewing Kidman as 00:21:04.660 --> 00:21:07.059 a suppressive influence. These claims include 00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:09.079 pressuring crews into more auditing sessions 00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:12.680 and even allegedly tapping Kidman's phone. It 00:21:12.680 --> 00:21:14.799 suggests a pattern where the institution's goals 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.450 came before the family unit. Then came the media 00:21:17.450 --> 00:21:20.269 phenomenon of Tomcat, his relationship with Katie 00:21:20.269 --> 00:21:24.029 Holmes, starting in 2005. Defined early on by 00:21:24.029 --> 00:21:26.250 that unforgettable declaration of love on The 00:21:26.250 --> 00:21:29.710 Oprah Winfrey Show, the couch jumping, it became 00:21:29.710 --> 00:21:32.750 synonymous with his public persona. They married 00:21:32.750 --> 00:21:35.849 in 2006 in a highly publicized Scientologist 00:21:35.849 --> 00:21:38.670 ceremony with Scientology leader David Miscavige 00:21:38.670 --> 00:21:42.190 as his best man. But this relationship also ended 00:21:42.190 --> 00:21:44.769 abruptly. Holmes filed for divorce in New York 00:21:44.769 --> 00:21:48.019 in 2012. choosing the state where divorce documents 00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:50.700 are sealed, which gave her crucial privacy. The 00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:53.440 fallout was significant. In a 2013 deposition, 00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:56.279 Cruz made a pivotal admission. He stated that 00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:58.380 Holmes had divorced him in part to protect their 00:21:58.380 --> 00:22:01.420 daughter, Suri, from Scientology. He confirmed 00:22:01.420 --> 00:22:03.380 that Suri is no longer a practicing member of 00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:05.759 the church. That statement provides the strongest 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:08.440 public explanation for the suddenness and secrecy 00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:10.619 of that divorce. And that separation was followed 00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:12.720 by that highly controversial girlfriend audition 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:15.779 report from Vanity Fair in 2012. This report 00:22:15.779 --> 00:22:18.200 alleged that after his split with Penelope Cruz, 00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:21.299 Scientologist leaders initiated a secret project 00:22:21.299 --> 00:22:23.880 to find him a new appropriate Scientologist partner. 00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:26.920 It detailed a process of auditioning actresses, 00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:29.420 leading to a short relationship with Nazanin 00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:32.720 Bonyadi. Cruz's lawyers and the church denied 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.619 the report strenuously. But the story gained 00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:37.740 a lot more credence later when the director and 00:22:37.740 --> 00:22:40.579 ex -Scientologist Paul Haggis confirmed it, stating 00:22:40.579 --> 00:22:43.539 he was appalled that any church would treat its 00:22:43.539 --> 00:22:46.220 parishioners this way. To maintain this highly 00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:48.740 controlled image, Cruz has consistently relied 00:22:48.740 --> 00:22:51.829 on aggressive litigation. He's won several high 00:22:51.829 --> 00:22:54.289 profile cases that show how seriously he protects 00:22:54.289 --> 00:22:56.670 his public identity. He successfully sued the 00:22:56.670 --> 00:22:59.910 Daily Express in 1998 over claims his marriage 00:22:59.910 --> 00:23:02.650 to Kidman was a sham to cover up homosexuality. 00:23:02.750 --> 00:23:05.410 He also successfully sued gay porn actor Chad 00:23:05.410 --> 00:23:08.450 Slater in 2001, who was ordered to pay $10 million 00:23:08.450 --> 00:23:10.769 in damages after admitting his claims of an affair 00:23:10.769 --> 00:23:13.250 were false. In another case, he settled a $100 00:23:13.250 --> 00:23:15.490 million lawsuit against a magazine publisher 00:23:15.490 --> 00:23:17.750 who had claimed to have video proof he was gay. 00:23:18.069 --> 00:23:20.410 The publisher was forced to publicly retract 00:23:20.410 --> 00:23:23.589 and state that Cruz is, in fact, heterosexual. 00:23:23.869 --> 00:23:26.849 These actions established a clear, powerful precedent. 00:23:27.309 --> 00:23:29.769 Negative press about his sexuality will be swiftly 00:23:29.769 --> 00:23:32.289 and expensively litigated. But maybe the most 00:23:32.289 --> 00:23:34.529 revealing moment of transparency came during 00:23:34.529 --> 00:23:37.289 his 2012 defamation lawsuit against magazines 00:23:37.289 --> 00:23:40.589 that claimed he had abandoned Suri. During his 00:23:40.589 --> 00:23:42.930 deposition, while defending his parental involvement, 00:23:43.210 --> 00:23:45.509 Cruz admitted he had not seen his daughter for 00:23:45.509 --> 00:23:49.490 110 days. The suit was settled. But the public 00:23:49.490 --> 00:23:51.890 record of that admission provides a stark detail. 00:23:52.170 --> 00:23:54.869 Which brings us to the core issue, Section 6, 00:23:55.150 --> 00:23:58.410 Scientology Advocacy and Controversies. His involvement 00:23:58.410 --> 00:24:02.390 began in 1986. He publicly announced it in 1992. 00:24:03.069 --> 00:24:06.029 He's been very vocal about crediting Scientology's 00:24:06.029 --> 00:24:08.730 teaching method, studied technology, for helping 00:24:08.730 --> 00:24:11.390 him overcome dyslexia. So for him, the organization 00:24:11.390 --> 00:24:13.670 is inherently linked to overcoming a profound 00:24:13.670 --> 00:24:16.230 personal struggle. Right. And his relationship 00:24:16.230 --> 00:24:18.049 with the leadership is deep and longstanding. 00:24:18.230 --> 00:24:20.269 He's a close personal friend of Scientology leader 00:24:20.269 --> 00:24:23.029 David Miscavige, and he was awarded the Scientology 00:24:23.029 --> 00:24:26.289 Freedom Medal of Valor in 2004. Yet even his 00:24:26.289 --> 00:24:28.910 commitment had some internal friction. The sources 00:24:28.910 --> 00:24:31.170 recount a fascinating moment when leaders promised 00:24:31.170 --> 00:24:33.470 to share some of the highest level, most secret 00:24:33.470 --> 00:24:36.529 doctrines, including information about the extraterrestrial 00:24:36.529 --> 00:24:39.390 ruler Xenu. And we should explain this neutrally. 00:24:40.059 --> 00:24:43.559 Zinu is a core, high -level doctrine in Scientology's 00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:46.500 cosmology, detailing the origins of spiritual 00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:49.400 distress on Earth. The account claims that when 00:24:49.400 --> 00:24:52.019 this was promised, Cruz freaked out and temporarily 00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:54.920 stepped back from the church in 1999 to finish 00:24:54.920 --> 00:24:57.799 Eyes Wide Shut. It took a high -ranking official, 00:24:58.160 --> 00:25:01.480 Marty Rathbun, being sent by Miscavige to convince 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:04.299 him to return and continue his studies. It really 00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:06.339 highlights the intense investment the church 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:08.809 had in keeping him. The controversies really 00:25:08.809 --> 00:25:10.930 peaked in the 2000s when you went from being 00:25:10.930 --> 00:25:14.009 a quiet member to a highly outspoken public advocate, 00:25:14.190 --> 00:25:16.750 especially on the church's anti -psychiatry stance. 00:25:16.950 --> 00:25:20.210 In 2004, he declared publicly, I think psychiatry 00:25:20.210 --> 00:25:22.329 should be outlawed. This led directly to that 00:25:22.329 --> 00:25:24.650 famous public spat with Brooke Shields, who had 00:25:24.650 --> 00:25:27.509 used Paxil for postpartum depression. Cruz criticized 00:25:27.509 --> 00:25:29.970 her, claiming there's no such thing as a chemical 00:25:29.970 --> 00:25:32.750 imbalance. Shields famously hit back, saying 00:25:32.750 --> 00:25:35.049 his comments were a disservice to mothers everywhere 00:25:35.049 --> 00:25:37.490 and telling him to stick to saving the world 00:25:37.490 --> 00:25:40.549 from aliens. That culminated in the heated argument 00:25:40.549 --> 00:25:43.609 with Matt Lauer on NBC's Today in June 2005. 00:25:43.950 --> 00:25:47.609 His forceful rejection of psychiatry drew immediate 00:25:47.609 --> 00:25:50.049 widespread condemnation from medical authorities. 00:25:51.049 --> 00:25:53.750 They stated that his comments, given his huge 00:25:53.750 --> 00:25:56.690 celebrity platform, were furthering the social 00:25:56.690 --> 00:25:59.369 stigma of mental illness. And this controversy 00:25:59.369 --> 00:26:01.349 even strained his professional relationships. 00:26:01.910 --> 00:26:04.609 There was a reported rift with Steven Spielberg 00:26:04.609 --> 00:26:07.509 after Scientologists allegedly picketed the office 00:26:07.509 --> 00:26:10.029 of a doctor friend of Spielberg's who prescribed 00:26:10.029 --> 00:26:12.809 psychiatric medication. The sources suggest this 00:26:12.809 --> 00:26:15.609 direct confrontation angered the director and 00:26:15.609 --> 00:26:17.650 caused professional friction. Beyond medical 00:26:17.650 --> 00:26:20.769 advocacy, he engaged in direct political lobbying 00:26:20.769 --> 00:26:23.150 for the church. He campaigned for Scientology 00:26:23.150 --> 00:26:25.710 to be recognized as a religion in Europe. In 00:26:25.710 --> 00:26:28.710 2005, the Council of Paris noted he had lobbied 00:26:28.710 --> 00:26:31.069 French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. But 00:26:31.069 --> 00:26:33.789 that effort largely failed in France. The Council 00:26:33.789 --> 00:26:35.869 of Paris subsequently described him as a militant 00:26:35.869 --> 00:26:38.390 spokesman and barred future dealings with him. 00:26:38.529 --> 00:26:40.849 He also co -founded an organization called Downtown 00:26:40.849 --> 00:26:43.769 Medical after 9 -11 to offer detoxification therapy 00:26:43.769 --> 00:26:46.509 to New York City rescue workers. And that drew 00:26:46.509 --> 00:26:48.829 heavy criticism from medical professionals about 00:26:48.829 --> 00:26:51.230 the safety and efficacy of the program, which 00:26:51.230 --> 00:26:53.930 was rooted in the church's methods. Recognizing 00:26:53.930 --> 00:26:56.549 the negative feedback, there was a noticeable 00:26:56.549 --> 00:27:00.170 strategic shift in his image management. In 2004, 00:27:00.529 --> 00:27:03.990 he replaced his longtime publicist with his Scientologist 00:27:03.990 --> 00:27:06.720 sister, Leigh Ann DeVette. When she was replaced 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:09.720 in 2005, it was largely seen by industry observers 00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:12.960 as a move to explicitly curtail public discussions 00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:15.480 on his contentious views. And that control has 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:19.039 become strict. Since 2008, he has generally restricted 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:21.339 interviewers from asking him about Scientology. 00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:23.779 He's walled off his professional sphere from 00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:26.180 his personal advocacy. But the intense scrutiny 00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:28.660 was brought to a head by Lawrence Wright's 2013 00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:31.579 book Going Clear and the documentary that followed. 00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:34.500 It cast a harsh light on Cruz's elevated role 00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:37.559 within the organization. The sources detail serious 00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:40.079 allegations of abuse and exploitation tied to 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:42.180 the church, some of which he allegedly benefited 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:44.619 from. including the claim that the church actively 00:27:44.619 --> 00:27:47.099 groomed romantic partners for him, suggesting 00:27:47.099 --> 00:27:49.700 the girlfriend audition story was part of a systemic 00:27:49.700 --> 00:27:52.759 pattern. And crucially, the allegations included 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:55.960 that Cruz benefited from the use of Sea Org and 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:58.819 Rehabilitation Project force workers as a source 00:27:58.819 --> 00:28:01.180 of free forced labor. And just for our listeners, 00:28:01.400 --> 00:28:04.599 Sea Org is the paramilitary religious order within 00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:07.599 the church. The RPF is a disciplinary program 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:10.400 within the Sea Org. The allegations suggest that 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:14.000 workers from these highly dedicated, often isolated 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:17.140 groups were used for tasks like maintaining his 00:28:17.140 --> 00:28:19.660 vehicles or preparing his homes. It paints a 00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:21.660 picture of exceptional scrutiny and a highly 00:28:21.660 --> 00:28:23.900 controlled environment where the commercial machine 00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:26.920 and the private advocacy are constantly feeding 00:28:26.920 --> 00:28:29.480 into and fighting against one another. And yet. 00:28:29.609 --> 00:28:32.049 Despite all this relentless controversy, his 00:28:32.049 --> 00:28:34.109 professional achievements continue to pile up. 00:28:34.170 --> 00:28:36.529 It's the ultimate paradox, isn't it? He achieves 00:28:36.529 --> 00:28:38.970 these prestigious accolades even as the storms 00:28:38.970 --> 00:28:41.369 rage. We mentioned the honorary Palme d 'Or, 00:28:41.490 --> 00:28:44.289 the BFI Fellowship, the Academy Honorary Award. 00:28:44.869 --> 00:28:46.869 Competitively, he has three Golden Globe wins 00:28:46.869 --> 00:28:49.369 and four Oscar nominations across different categories. 00:28:49.690 --> 00:28:52.329 Best Actor for Born on the Fourth of July and 00:28:52.329 --> 00:28:54.369 Jerry Maguire, and Best Supporting Actor for 00:28:54.369 --> 00:28:57.529 Magnolia. And he also received the David O. Selznick 00:28:57.529 --> 00:29:00.970 Achievement Award in 2022, recognizing his work 00:29:00.970 --> 00:29:03.349 as a producer. We also can't discuss his iconic 00:29:03.349 --> 00:29:05.549 status without acknowledging his other true passion, 00:29:05.730 --> 00:29:08.250 aviation. This isn't just a movie prop for him. 00:29:08.309 --> 00:29:11.109 It's a serious, lifelong enthusiasm. He's had 00:29:11.109 --> 00:29:14.329 a pilot certificate since 1994. He's a certified 00:29:14.329 --> 00:29:17.789 aerobatic pilot, and he owns an authentic P -51 00:29:17.789 --> 00:29:20.640 Mustang. His dedication was recognized when he 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:23.140 was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation 00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:27.039 in 2010. His global icon status is so profound 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:29.940 that it transcends entertainment. There are these 00:29:29.940 --> 00:29:32.920 unique public honors, like October 10th being 00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:35.859 declared Tom Cruise Day in Japan. For his love 00:29:35.859 --> 00:29:39.019 for and close association with Japan, that level 00:29:39.019 --> 00:29:42.059 of official international goodwill is rare. And 00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:43.660 it connects back perfectly to that assessment 00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:46.559 by Edward J. Epstein. Cruz is the ultimate self 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:48.920 -sustaining entity. His guaranteed box office, 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:51.680 his unparalleled stunts, and his calculated legal 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:53.920 strategies allowing to dictate terms and survive 00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:56.940 disasters that would sink anyone else. So what 00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:59.259 does this all mean for you, the well -informed 00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:01.839 listener? We've seen the sources detail this 00:30:01.839 --> 00:30:05.460 extraordinary dual life. The meticulous commercial 00:30:05.460 --> 00:30:08.700 force who delivers massive global returns. Whose 00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:10.880 control is rooted in the trauma of his youth 00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:12.740 and the structure of his production deals. And 00:30:12.740 --> 00:30:15.019 yet he remains this controversial figure whose 00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:17.460 personal life and religious advocacy generate 00:30:17.460 --> 00:30:20.680 enormous persistent friction. The conclusion 00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:23.140 we have to draw is that the anatomy of Tom Cruise 00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:26.180 is fundamentally corporate and intensely self 00:30:26.180 --> 00:30:29.119 -protective. His acting commitment is undeniable. 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:32.200 But his true power lies in the financial architecture 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:34.809 he built. That ability to guarantee success and 00:30:34.809 --> 00:30:37.349 negotiate massive profit shares, giving him financial 00:30:37.349 --> 00:30:39.569 autonomy. And that autonomy acts as a shield. 00:30:39.690 --> 00:30:42.309 It allows him to weather any storm, a public 00:30:42.309 --> 00:30:45.269 meltdown, a major studio divorce, relentless 00:30:45.269 --> 00:30:48.089 scrutiny over his religion. He just keeps delivering. 00:30:48.329 --> 00:30:49.930 And as long as he delivers a billion dollars, 00:30:50.029 --> 00:30:53.269 the box office validates the entire complex model. 00:30:53.529 --> 00:30:55.529 Which leaves us with a final thought for you 00:30:55.529 --> 00:30:58.019 to chew on. We've established that Tom Cruise's 00:30:58.019 --> 00:31:00.079 film deals grant him exceptional control and 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:02.660 massive wealth, enabling him to maintain this 00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:05.599 star power even when studio relationships falter. 00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:08.539 Considering his history of successfully litigating 00:31:08.539 --> 00:31:11.900 against negative press, his pivot to new multi 00:31:11.900 --> 00:31:14.500 -year studio partnerships, and the current movie 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:17.240 landscape's deep reliance on established, star 00:31:17.240 --> 00:31:20.480 -driven franchises, We have to ask you. Is Tom 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:23.099 Cruise not just a Hollywood icon, but the ultimate 00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:25.819 self -sustaining global media corporation? And 00:31:25.819 --> 00:31:27.960 can any other single actor ever achieve that 00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:30.660 level of unassailable commercial power again?