Who are Tom Cruise's parents?

Last Modified Feb 12, 2025 01:30 EST
Who are Tom Cruise's parents?
Tom Cruise (source; Instagram)


Tom Cruise is the son of Thomas Cruise Mapother III and Mary Lee.


Tom Cruise is one of the most famous actors in Hollywood. The actor made a huge name for himself, especially for doing his own stunts, in the Mission: Impossible franchise as the character of Ethan Hunt. The actor's first project, Endless Love was released in 1981.


Apart from this, Tom Cruise has starred in Top Gun (1986), Cocktail (1988), Days of Thunder (1990), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), The Last Samurai (2003), Tropic Thunder (2008), Oblivion (2013), The Mummy (2017) and many more. As a producer, Cruise has been credited for Without Limits (1998), Elizabethtown (2005), and Ask the Dust (2006). His portfolio as an Executive producer includes movies like The Others (2001), Narc (2002), and Shattered Glass (2003).


Who are Tom Cruise's parents?


Tom Cruise was born to parents Thomas Cruise Mapother III and Mary Lee, on July 3, 1962. The actor was born in the city of Syracuse, in New York, in the United States. The actor was born with his birth name Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, and was brought up with three sisters named Lee Anne, Marian, and Cass.


Who is Tom Cruise's father?


Tom Cruise’s biological father was known to be Thomas Cruise Mapother III. By profession, Tom’s father was known to be an electrical engineer and had married his mother Mary Lee for a few years, before splitting up when the actor was quite young. Tom had revealed that he never had a proper dynamic with his father throughout their time together. According to the news portal Chicago Tribune, the actor talked about the tense and abusive relationship he had with his father.


During the interview, Tom Cruise said, “He was a bully and a coward. He was the kind of person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. It was a great lesson in my life–how he’d lull you in, make you feel safe, and then, bang! For me, it was like, `There’s something wrong with this guy. Don’t trust him. Be careful around him.’ There’s that anxiety.” It was revealed that his father had died of cancer in 1984.


Who is Tom Cruise's Mother?


While Tom had a bad relationship with his father, his relationship with his mother Mary Lee, was one that the actor is extremely grateful for. By profession, Tom’s mother was a special education teacher during her marriage to Thomas Cruise Mapother III. It was after finding out about Thomas’s bullying nature that Mary decided to leave him and bring her kid with her back to the United States and provide for them as a single parent working through multiple jobs.


During an interview with Rolling Stone back in 1986, Mary talked about her interests, stating that “I was always interested in theater, but I never did anything with it. When I was growing up, if you went to Hollywood, that was really risqué.” Continuing the interview she also explained how she supported Tom's career as an actor stating, “I guess I was his greatest audience.“ It was in 2017 when Cruise’s mother passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 80.


Also read: List of Tom Cruise movies

FAQs on Tom Cruise's parents

A. Isabella "Bella" Kidman Cruise is Tom Cruise’s eldest child.

A. Yes, Tom has an adopted son going by the name Connor Kidman Cruise.

A. No, Tom Cruise does not have a brother.

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