Tom Cruise is an award-winning American actor and filmmaker best known for the Mission: Impossible film series, in which he plays secret agent Ethan Hunt. Considered one of the biggest movie stars in the United States, he was also Hollywood's highest-paid actor in 2012. Born in New York, he had a difficult childhood, growing up in near-poverty with an abusive father. As a teenager, Cruise initially aspired to become a priest, but fate had other plans. At 19, he landed a small role in the film Endless Love and soon discovered a natural talent for acting, leading him to pursue it as a career. Over the next few years, he took on several supporting roles before securing his first major breakthrough in the romantic comedy Risky Business. With his striking looks and boyish charm, it didn’t take long for him to captivate Hollywood, quickly establishing himself as a highly sought-after A-list star. His popularity soared when he landed the role of Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible film series, solidifying his status as one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood.