Syracuse altar boy discovering silver screen salvation.
Risky Business underwear dance launching stardom.
His smile: weaponising charm into box office gold.
Maverick conquering eighties testosterone culture.
Fighter pilot fantasies igniting recruitment campaigns.
@TomCruise becoming military industrial complex poster boy.
Mission Impossible stunts defying death,
Burj Khalifa climbing refusing stunt double safety.
His fearlessness: transforming movies into extreme sports.
Scientology conversion alienating Hollywood establishment.
L. Ron Hubbard doctrine guiding career decisions.
Faith becoming tabloid fascination obsession.
Couch jumping interview revealing manic intensity.
Breakdown exposing fragility beneath perfection.
His vulnerability: humanising superhuman persona.
Dyslexia struggles hidden behind confidence,
Learning disability overcome through relentless determination,
Proving limitations exist only in minds.
Rain Man brotherly chemistry with Dustin Hoffman.
Dramatic range expanding,
Acting: demonstrating depth beyond pretty boy stereotype.
Top Gun sequel proving longevity transcends aging.
Sixty-year-old pilot still flying,
His persistence: refusing Hollywood's expiration date tyranny.
He showed us obsession can fuel greatness-
that running from demons creates epic cinema,
proving some stars burn brightest when falling.