Tom Cruise has returned to the cover of GQ for the first time in 20 years — and the 64-year-old actor surprised fans with a revealing new photo shoot and a rare face-to-face interview.
The Hollywood star posed in a vintage black shirt left completely unbuttoned, showing off his bare chest and defined abs with classic Levi’s jeans. In another shot, Cruise switched to a white T-shirt, cowboy hat and Western boots. The appearance comes as he promotes “Digger,” his new film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
During the interview, Cruise addressed his reputation as one of Hollywood’s most demanding and relentless perfectionists. He admitted that the stories about his intense work ethic are true and said he warns colleagues from the beginning that he expects a lot from himself and everyone working alongside him.
“Yes, I’m relentless. The rumors are true,” Cruise said, explaining that he works extremely hard and often arrives on set before everyone else.
The actor also discussed his famous appetite for dangerous stunts, including sequences such as riding a motorcycle off a cliff. Cruise said risk-taking is more than an adrenaline rush for him — he has always viewed life itself as an adventure and enjoys being “on the edge” both literally and figuratively.
Another part of the interview attracted attention when journalist Zach Baron asked why Cruise had avoided major interviews for so long. His abstract response about what he wanted other artists to understand left some social media users confused. When pressed further, Cruise described himself as both a teacher and a student, prompting online jokes and speculation that he was avoiding more personal subjects.
Cruise remains best known for playing Ethan Hunt in the “Mission: Impossible” franchise and Maverick in the “Top Gun” films.
The actor has been married three times — to Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes — and has three children: Isabella, Connor and Suri. He became estranged from Suri following his divorce from Holmes, and after reaching adulthood she stopped publicly using her father’s surname.
His most recently reported public romance was with actress Ana de Armas. But with his dramatic new GQ shoot, attention has once again shifted to Cruise himself — and particularly to the physique he is showing off at 64.
