Tom Cruise’s Iconic Characters

Discover four characters played by Tom Cruise, and learn why they are so iconic. Read on to explore our list of films!

Tom Cruise is one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed stars, known for his versatile acting, confidence and stunts. He's been in the spotlight since the '80s but today, we're focussing on four of his most iconic characters, ranging from a rebellious teenager to a blood-sucking vampire.

Risky Business (1983)

Tom Cruise’s breakthrough role was in Risky Business, released in 1983, which gave us that dancing scene. A young Cruise plays Joel Goodson, a teenage boy interested in getting into college and having sex. When Joel’s parents go on holiday, he's left in charge of the house. Joel has a little too much fun and along with his new friend Lana (Rebecca De Mornay), has to plan some very risky business to get things in order before his parents return.

How old was Tom Cruise in Risky Business?
Tom Cruise was 20 years old when Risky Business was being filmed. He worked out seven days a week to achieve a more youthful physique to fit the teenage role.

Who played opposite Tom Cruise in Risky Business?
Cruise played alongside Rebecca De Mornay as Lana, Joel Goodson’s love interest.

Did Tom Cruise improvise his dance scene in Risky Business?
Yes! The iconic scene where Cruise dances in his underwear while lip syncing to Bob Seger's ‘Old Time Rock & Roll’ was largely improvised. The script originally stated "Joel dances in underwear through the house" and Cruise added to it with his own moves.

Find out more about Risky Business.

Interview with the Vampire (1994)

11 years later, Cruise played Lestat de Lioncourt in the American gothic horror, Interview with the Vampire. Based on the novel by Anne Rice, the movie follows a 200-year-old vampire, Louis (Brad Pitt), as he tells his story to a reporter. After losing his wife and child during labour, Louis is turned into an immortal, bloodthirsty creature by Lestat de Lioncourt.

Why is Lestat an iconic character of Cruise’s?
This is such a memorable character as it was a completely different role for Cruise, who was best known for action or modern day dramas (Mission Impossible, Jerry Maguire etc.). Through this iconic role, Cruise proved his versatility as an actor not only to Anne Rice (who was apprehensive about casting him) but to the world.

Who else stars in Interview with the Vampire?
Brad Pitt plays Louis, a wealthy plantation owner who is transformed into a vampire by Lestat. The film also features a young Kirsten Dunst (only 11 years old at the time) as Claudia, who is also turned into a vampire by Lestat.

Find out more about Interview with the Vampire.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Another role that showed a different range for Cruise was in Eyes Wide Shut, Stanley Kubrick’s final film, about a married couple entangled in an intricate web of jealousy and sexual obsession.

Who did Tom Cruise play in Eyes Wide Shut?
Cruise plays a wealthy doctor and socialite named William “Bill” Harford opposite Nicole Kidman as Alice, both his (then) wife in and off-screen. Bill is one of Cruise’s most iconic characters not just for his acting skills but also for the fascinating plot and context of the movie. As with Interview with the Vampire, Eyes Wide Shut is also a bit of an anomaly for his career path in that it does not involve outlandish stunts or hair-raising action scenes. However, it is one of Cruise's most well-known roles to date.

What is the message behind Eyes Wide Shut?
Kubrick’s last movie explores darker themes of sexuality, desire, adultery and marriage. It considers the complexities of monogamy and how secrecy permeates relationships, causing them to unravel.

Find out more about Eyes Wide Shut.

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

For our last entry of iconic characters played by Tom Cruise, we’ve included Edge of Tomorrow, an epic sci-fi thriller that just celebrated it's 10th anniversary.

What character does Cruise play in Edge of Tomorrow?
Cruise stars as Major William Cage, an inexperienced military officer who has never seen a day of combat. After being assigned to fight in a relentless battle against an alien race, Cage is killed within minutes and finds himself stuck in a time loop, endlessly living out the same battle.

Forced to die and be reborn countless times, Cage enrols into a training programme with the help of Rita, played by Emily Blunt. He slowly becomes able to engage the alien adversaries with increasing skill and bring humankind one step closer to safety.

Did Cruise do his own stunts for the movie?
Coming as no surprise, Cruise did carry out his own stunts in Edge of Tomorrow, making this character all the more iconic.

Find out more about Edge of Tomorrow.