Over the course of more than 35 years, Tom Cruise has evolved from a floppy haired heartthrob into one of the most powerful and polarizing figures in Hollywood. He flew straight into the hearts of female viewers the world over as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in aerial romance Top Gun (1986), and he won the male vote as Ethan Hunt in the stunt-laden Mission: Impossible franchise (1996-), gradually building a reputation as one of the film industry's genuine megastars.
But somewhere along the way, the love Cruise had grown accustomed to began to fade, and the public's perception of him changed drastically. Once the man that every guy wanted to be and every girl wanted to be with, the name Tom Cruise has since come to mean something completely different on both sides of the gender divide, but why? This is how Cruise became so hated in Hollywood.
People grew skeptical of his beliefs
Acting aside, Cruise is best known for his passionate advocacy of the Church of Scientology. He credits the faith with helping him overcome dyslexia and plays an active role in the controversial church. Cruise was introduced to Scientology by his first wife, actress Mimi Rogers, whose father, Phil Spickler, was a prominent member of the movement.
According to a Radar Online interview with ex-member Nancy Many, Cruise was targeted by the church. "I knew some of the people who kid-gloved him into becoming a member," she said. "The manipulation is often unseen or unnoticed by the person being manipulated."
While no sane person will hate someone based solely on their faith, Cruise's perceived hypocrisy when it comes to Scientology often grinds people's gears. The A-lister made headlines when he tried to have an official video of him ranting about the privilege he felt as a Scientologist removed from YouTube.
He started getting involved in politics
Despite Rogers and Cruise separating in 1990 after three years of marriage, his dedication to Scientology continued to intensify. Cruise's fervent beliefs transformed him into an international lobbyist, spearheading the church's drive to become a recognized religion in Europe with little success. According to the Irish Examiner, leaders in Paris came to an agreement in 2005 not to make him an honorary citizen because of his affiliation with the church.
Cruise's mission didn't fare much better in Germany. The BBC reported in 2007 that the country was refusing to allow World War II thriller Valkyrie (2008) to be shot on its military sites because of the Hollywood star's affiliation with Scientology. While the government did finally soften its stance and allow the production access, German religious leaders were not so welcoming, with a chief spokesman from the Protestant Church comparing Cruise with Nazi Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels. Spokesman Thomas Gandow claimed Valkyrie would "have the same propaganda advantages for Scientology as the 1936 Olympics had for the Nazis."
He's been divorced three times
Not long after splitting from Rogers, Cruise tied the knot with Days of Thunder (1990) co-star Nicole Kidman. That duo became the Hollywood power couple of the '90s, but when their union ended after 11 years, it marked the beginning of the end for Cruise's untarnished public image.
After his brief relationship with Vanilla Sky (2001) co-star Penélope Cruz, the Church of Scientology allegedly launched a secret auditioning process to find Cruise a new wife. According to Vanity Fair, English-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi was selected as a suitable match, but then reportedly booted months later in favor of actress Katie Holmes. The Dawson's Creek (1998-03)star became Cruise's third wife, marrying him in a fairy-tale ceremony in a 15th Century Italian castle, and thus, TomKat was born. Less than six years later, Holmes filed for divorce, with the Daily Mail reporting she feared their daughter, Suri, would be brainwashed by Scientologists if she didn't end her marriage and get her kid out while she still could.
He developed a reputation as a control freak
Persistent rumors that Cruise is controlling behind closed doors have followed the actor for years. Us Weekly reported that Kidman often lived in the shadow of Cruise. "We would go to the Oscars and I would think, I'm here to support him," the Australian stunner said. "I felt it was my job to put on a beautiful dress and to be seen and not heard."
In an interview with David Letterman not long after their divorce, Kidman joked that she was now able to wear high heels again (Kidman is several inches taller than Cruise), though her ex's behavior at the end of their marriage was no laughing matter. Alex Gibney's documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015) alleges Cruise had members of the church wiretap Kidman's phone so they could keep tabs on her and manipulate divorce proceedings.
According to the Daily Mail, Cruise became even more controlling in his next marriage, reportedly telling Holmes exactly what she could wear and who she could see. As if to show solidarity with Kidman, one of Holmes' first public appearances after her separation from Cruise was in a pair of 4-inch heels.
His controls issues extend to the set
Cruise's alleged control over his exes pales in comparison to claims of his disastrous micromanagement of his films. As Variety reports, Curise's reboot of The Mummy, which they claim has gotten "brutal" reviews, is the latest of his films to be negatively impacted by his interference. According to insiders, Cruise revamped the entire script, heavily influenced the direction, editing, and even marketing of the film, which produced a dismal $32 million dollar domestic opening weekend. International returns have been better, though insiders still doubt the film will recoup its combined production and marketing costs.
And The Mummy wasn't the first film tainted by Cruise's obsessive meddling. According to actor R. Lee Ermey, collaborator and friend to the late director, Stanley Kubrick, the failure of Eyes Wide Shut was also due to the star's ego-tripping. Ermey told Radar Online (via The Guardian) that Kubrick had confided in him that he felt the film was "a piece of s**t," because "Cruise and Kidman had their way with him."
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