There’s something magnetic about the big screen that turns mere mortals into legends, and one of the hottest actors of the ‘80s, Tom Cruise, epitomizes this journey like no other. Audiences first discovered him in smaller roles in films like Endless Love.
But it was his breakout performance in the 1983 film Risky Business that truly lit the fuse on his skyrocketing career. From then on, Cruise blazed a trail through Hollywood, starring in timeless classics like Rain Man, Top Gun, and Jerry Maguire. Though he dabbled in dramatic roles, he soon morphed into an indomitable action star, headlining the action-packed Mission: Impossible franchise.
Yet, who would have guessed that behind the high-octane stunts and blockbuster flicks, lies a romantic side many fans know little about? Take, for instance, his relationship with his Vanilla Sky co-star Penélope Cruz.
From Co-Stars to Companions: The Untold Tale of Tom Cruise and Penélope Cruz
Love is a battlefield, and Tom Cruise knows this all too well. As a Hollywood heartthrob, his romantic entanglements have been the talk of the town for years. From his romance with Penélope Cruz to his steamy relationship with Nicole Kidman, Cruise has certainly had his fair share of ups and downs in the love department.
After his divorce from Kidman, Cruise wasted not much time cozying up to Cruz on the set of Vanilla Sky. Although he was still hitched to Kidman when he crossed paths with Cruz, the Vanilla Sky stars insisted their romantic spark didn’t catch fire until after Cruise’s divorce was finalized in 2001. Cruz, reflecting on her evolving relationship with the Top Gun star, noted (via The Telegraph):
I’ve never fallen in love with someone I’m working with. If something becomes friendship, then maybe months later it becomes something else, but you can never know.
As soon as his divorce from Kidman was inked and dried, Cruise and Cruz made a grand entrance together at the premiere of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (see The Guardian). Their romance, however, burned bright and fast; they called it quits in January 2004 after three years together (via People). A source close to the couple remarked that their relationship had simply run its course, stating:
They decided not to be girlfriend and boyfriend anymore.
Sadly, as with many Hollywood romances, their love story was not meant to last.
The Other Side of Tom Cruise: Romantic Gestures That Melt Hearts
Speculation swirled that Scientology may have played a role in their breakup, with Penélope Cruz allegedly not meeting the religious expectations of Tom Cruise’s inner circle (per Vanity Fair).
Yet, even after their romance went up in smoke, Cruise’s romantic flair is a gem we can’t overlook—a side that might just take the cake for even the most devoted Mission: Impossible fans.
Throughout their time together, Cruise charmed Cruz with thoughtful gestures that were the icing on the cake of their relationship. His affectionate acts, from cooking her favorite meals to drawing a soothing bath, showed that sometimes it’s the little things that hit the nail on the head and leave a lasting mark.
According to EW, Cruise shared:
I surprise Penelope with different things. She’ll come home, and I’ll have her favorite kind of food made, have a bath drawn. I like doing stuff like that. She likes my food, so I cook for her. It’s always the little things I like in a relationship.
Meanwhile, Cruz also gave a nod to Cruise’s talent and good nature, singing his praises to The Guardian:
Tom is a very good man, and I am close to his whole family, his children. I love his children, and his mum, and all of his family, and he’s a great man.
Following her time with Cruise, Cruz moved on to a new chapter in her personal life, eventually marrying the Spanish actor Javier Bardem. Meanwhile, the Rain Man took the leap of faith and married Katie Holmes in 2006, but their love story didn’t have a fairy-tale ending either. The couple divorced in 2012.
