10 Actors Who Improved At Something They Were Terrible At
6. Tom Cruise - Acting His Actual Age
Tom Cruise is one of the most fascinating movie stars on the planet - a fearless performer whose tireless commitment to throwing himself into death-defying stunt work is virtually unparalleled in modern Hollywood.
Cruise turned 60 years old earlier this year, believe it or not, yet the actor has tended to star in films that basically refuse to acknowledge his age.
The Mission: Impossible films never broach the fact that Ethan Hunt is approaching pension eligiblity, and in the vast majority of his splashy blockbuster roles, he's cast opposite women much younger than himself.
Top Gun: Maverick was a breath of fresh air for many reasons, then, one of them being that it actually engaged with the mythology of Tom Cruise himself in a fascinating way.
This is a rare Cruise movie that didn't simply pretend the actor was 15 or 20 years younger than he actually is.
That's not to say that Maverick didn't paint him as a tremendously skilled pilot in impeccable physical shape, but there was also an effort to confess he was a man out of time, surrounded by a new generation much younger than himself, and who might be set to surpass him.
Even his love interest is played by Jennifer Connelly, who while nine years younger than Cruise still ranks among his most age-appropriate screen romances of recent times.
It'll certainly be interesting to see what becomes of Cruise's career when the Mission: Impossible franchise reportedly wraps up in 2024. When the physical action roles become too demanding, it'd be great to see him transition back to more dramatic work.