Tom Cruise is one of the most talented and well-regarded actors of his time, and rightly so. Though the actor has been in the public eye for quite some time (especially due to his eccentric behavior surrounding Scientology), there are still some facts that most people do not know about him. Here, we present our list of 15 facts you probably didn’t know about Tom Cruise.
Number Fifteen: He Has His Own Holiday in Japan
In Japan, October 10 is “Tom Cruise Day,” because he has visited Japan so much. So if you’re a really, really big fan, now you know what to do on October 10.
Number Fourteen: He Was the Prototype for Aladdin
It’s true. Disney artists had originally based Aladdin’s face on Michael J. Fox, but producers then decided Tom Cruise was more attractive to females, so the character was redesigned after him.
Number Thirteen: He Fought with Brooke Shields
Cruise’s first movie was in 1981’s Endless Love, and his co-star was Brooke Shields. More than 20 years later, Cruise and Shields got into a public argument about Scientology and psychiatric drugs.
Number Twelve: He Was Basically a Ray-Ban Spokesman
Cruise helped boost the sales of Ray-Ban sunglasses by 2,000 percent after the premiere of Risky Business and his iconic scene featuring the sunglasses. Impressive!
Number Eleven: He Was Also a Director
Cruise directed part of one episode of a tv show. The show was Fallen Angels, and the episode he helped direct aired in 1993.
Number Ten: There Are No Tom Cruise Toys
Cruise has been very adamant about the fact that he does not want any toys modeled after him. You will never see Cruise featured in video games, on action figures or as part of any other toys.
Number Nine: He Altered His Teeth for The Outsiders
In an effort to look grittier than he was for his character in 1983’s The Outsiders, Cruise removed one of the caps on his teeth for the scenes that follow the fight between the Greasers and the Socs. Now that’s some dedication.
Number Eight: He Wanted to Be a Priest
Though he is now most well known for being a devout Scientologist, at one point Cruise actually wanted to be a catholic priest. He went so far as to spend an entire year in a seminary before he was kicked out. The reason he got kicked out? He stole some wine.
Number Seven: He Learned to Dance by Watching Soul Train
Rather than take expensive dance classes, Cruise used Soul Train to transform himself into an excellent dancer. He memorized routines after he realized that women like a man who can dance.
Number Six: Tom Cruise Bought and Crashed a Motorcycle Before He Could Legally Drive
When Cruise was just 12 years old, he bought a motorcycle using money that he had saved up. He then proceeded to crash that motorcycle between two cars. Probably for the best.
Number Five: He Was Almost Iron Man
It’s true. Though you probably now associated the character of Iron Man with Rober Downey Jr., Cruise was originally slated to play Tony Stark.
Number Four: He Is Dyslexic
Tom Cruise was diagnosed with the learning disorder when he was just seven years old. He has since claimed that he overcame the disability with Scientology.
Number Three: He Was a Wrestler
In high school, Cruise was known more for his athletic prowess than his acting ability. Once he injured his knee while wrestling, he decided to audition for the lead in the school production of Guys and Dolls, and the rest is history.
Number Two: Each of His Wives Has Been 11 Years Younger Than the One Preceding
Though Cruise continues to age, it appears his wives are aging in reverse. His first wife, Mimi Rogers, was born in 1956. Nicole Kidman, his second wife, was born in 1967, and Katie Holmes was born in 1978.
Number One: His Iconic Risky Business Scene Was Totally Improvised
The scene was reportedly shot in just half of a day, and the scene began with only one line: “Joel dances in underwear through the house.” Cruise improvised the rest.