Highlights

  • Tom Cruise has a polarizing reputation in Hollywood due to his support of Scientology and controversial opinions, but he also has a tight circle of friends.
  • Cruise's closest friends include David Beckham and Jerry Seinfeld, with whom he has had strong bonds and long-lasting friendships.
  • On the other hand, Cruise has feuded with individuals like Brad Pitt, and he has a contentious relationship with Leah Remini due to her criticism of Scientology and him personally.

There are many sides to Tom Cruise. He's one of the highest-grossing actors of all time and has starred in a string of classic movies, such as Top Gun, A Few Good Men and Jerry Maguire. He is also known for his role as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise.

However, Cruise is one of the most polarizing celebs in Hollywood. He has been vocal about his support of Scientology, and he sometimes shares controversial opinions. Cruise has a tight circle of friends, but he is always looking to expose more people to his world. At the same time, he has a few enemies that he's feuded with over the years. It's time to take a closer look at Cruise's buddies and rivals.

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Updated on October 2nd, 2023 by Abigail Thomas: Tom Cruise has continued to be a very polarizing actor. While some recent co-workers, like Miles Teller, have nothing but positive things to say about Cruise, others want nothing to do with the Top Gun: Maverick star. Rumors have also circulated that Cruise has stepped away from Scientology, which is surprising considering his previous commitment to the religion.

13 Tom Cruise Is Friends With Soccer Star David Beckham

David Beckham at the League Cup
via instar

The iconic soccer player David Beckham can genuinely do it all. He's a talented athlete and world-famous celeb, and he is hugely popular among both his fans and other celebrities. Beckham and Tom Cruise are good friends with a tight bond. They've often gone on late-night motorcycles rides together through the streets of Los Angeles. Cruise even attempted to convince Beckham to join Scientology. However, David and Victoria Beckham decided that it wasn't a good fit for them. Regardless, Beckham and Cruise remain the best of friends.

12 Brad Pitt And Tom Cruise Are Top-Tier Frenemies

Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt on the red carpet
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Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt are natural enemies. Cruise dominated the 80s, while Pitt was the man of the 90s. Regardless, rumors suggest these two megastars have been secretly feuding for over 25 years.

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Reportedly, the feud started when they worked together on the 1994 horror film Interview with a Vampire. Pitt admitted to feeling "miserable" during filming. He also found Cruise to be a bit annoying. There's a great deal of professional jealously and competition between them, as their films sometimes go head-to-head in the theaters. They both enjoy gloating when their movie wins at the box office.

11 Tom Cruise Has A Close Friendship With Fellow Actor Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller looking unsure
Via: Instar

Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise have a very close friendship and have been friends for years. At one point, Stiller and his then-wife Christine Taylor would go on family outings with Cruise and his then-wife Katie Holmes. Stiller and Cruise remain friends even after all these years, and they've supported each other through difficult times. Cruise also made a surprise appearance in Stiller's film Tropic Thunder. Cruise and Stiller's friendship is tight and unbreakable, which is rare in Hollywood.

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10 Tom Cruise Tries To Avoid Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields smiling outside
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Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise had a very public feud that they eventually put behind them. Regardless, Cruise avoids running into Shields when he can. In 2005, Cruise criticized Shields for going on anti-depressants to help with her postpartum depression. Shields didn't back down and responded with some harsh words towards Cruise. They continued to feud for several months until Cruise apologized privately. Shields called the apology "heartfelt" and accepted it. Later, Shields attended Cruise and Katie Holmes' wedding.

9 Simon Pegg And Tom Cruise Have An Interesting Friendship

Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg on the red carpet
Via: Twitter

Simon Pegg and Tom Cruise's friendship is like no other in Hollywood. Of course, they appear to have nothing in common. Tom Cruise is predominantly an action star, while Pegg gained fame for his roles in several comedy movies. But Cruise and Pegg became close friends while working on the Mission: Impossible films. Cruise is the star of each film, but Pegg is prominent in the series and feels that the media misunderstands his good friend.

8 Tom Cruise Does Not Think Highly Of Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber walking through a parking lot
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Justin Bieber and Tom Cruise have one of the strangest feuds in Hollywood, and the dispute's pretty one-sided. In 2019, Bieber sent out a tweet challenging Cruise to a fight in the Octagon. Bieber's sudden feud with Cruise seemed to come out of nowhere.

There was never any confrontation or behind -the-scenes drama. Bieber mocked Cruise and was confident that any company would want to sponsor the fight. Of course, Cruise ignored Bieber, and the feud died down. Later, Bieber claimed it was a prank, although he re-issued the challenge in 2020.

7 Tom Cruise Has Been Friends With Dakota Fanning For Most Of Her Life

Dakota Fanning on the red carpet
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In 2005, Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning starred in the sci-fi film War of the Worlds. At the time, Fanning was a child actor that was on the rise in Hollywood. Cruise and Fanning formed a tight friendship that continues to this day. Since Fanning's 11th birthday, Cruise has sent her a gift every year. Fanning admits that he usually sends her a new pair of shoes, but she is amazed he continues the tradition.

6 John Travolta And Tom Cruise Have A Rocky History

John Travolta looking unsure
Via: Instar

Tom Cruise and John Travolta have been both friends and enemies. They're two of Scientology's most famous celebs, however rumors suggest that Travolta and Cruise are bitter enemies. Former Scientology members claim Travolta and Cruise have been battling for the top spot in the church.

Travolta is jealous of Cruise being the church's favorite. According to sources, Travolta was furious when Cruise won the Freedom Medal of Valor. Travolta feels that he should be getting the same level of recognition as Cruise.

5 Comedian And Actor Jerry Seinfeld Is Friends With Tom Cruise

Jerry Seinfeld looking defensive
Via: Instar

Iconic comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Cruise have been good friends for years and they have a lot in common. They're both two of the wealthiest and most famous Hollywood stars. Seinfeld also admitted that he had some brief interest in Scientology in the 70s. The two Hollywood megastars have hung out in New York and Los Angeles. They're so close that they've even spent time with each other's families. Of course, they also make sure they have a lot of bro time, just the two of them.

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4 Why Does Tom Cruise Have A Feud With Leah Remini?

Leah Remini at Second Act New York Premiere
Via: Instar

Leah Remini was once a proud member of The Church of Scientology but is now an outspoken critic. She wrote a book and produced a series based on her experiences. Of course, Remini singled out several members, most notably Tom Cruise. She claims that Cruise is the most powerful member of the church and is fully aware of the abuses, though Cruise and the church deny all of Remini's claims.

Regardless, their feud continues to intensify. Remini even encouraged Katie Holmes to come forward and expose Cruise. It's safe to assume that Cruise and Remini won't be going out to dinner anytime soon.

3 Miles Teller Loves His 'Top Gun: Maverick' Co-Star Tom Cruise

Miles Teller mustache
Via: depositphotos

Top Gun fans were over the moon when they learned that a sequel was finally in the works. The film of course starred Tom Cruise, and it also brought in actor Miles Teller. Though Teller had to be convinced by Cruise to join the film, Teller adored working with Cruise and has nothing but praise to say about the actor.

"I've said when I've been talking about Tom's performance in this film," Teller said of Cruise to Associated Press. "We give actors so much credit in movies for performing skills, for playing instruments or singing or gaining weight and losing weight. And the skills that Tom is putting on display in Top Gun and so many of his movies, that's a product of thousands of hours practice."

2 Tom Cruise Makes Shakira Uncomfortable

The Truth About Tom Cruise And Shakira's Relationship And If They Really Ever Dated
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Tom Cruise and Shakira made headlines in May 2023 when they both attended the F1 Grand Prix in Miami, Florida. They were pictured spending time together, and it was clear that Cruise was mesmerized by the singer.

The feeling was sadly not mutual. Though Cruise spoke with his friends about the connection they had, Shakira did not feel a connection. Cruise reportedly sent Shakira flowers after the race, but she was not interested in pursuing a relationship with him. Shakira was begging for Cruise to stop flirting with her, as she had no interest.

1 Mark Wahlberg Is Not A Fan Of Tom Cruise

Mark Wahlberg raising an eyebrow
via: Instar

Mark Wahlberg made it clear to fans that despite being in the same business, he does not appreciate Tom Cruise. After Cruise made a comment comparing his job to "fighting in Afghanistan" in 2013, Wahlberg had quite a bit to say about how disrespectful the statement was.

"I don't give a f*ck what you did. You don't do what these guys did. For somebody to sit there and say my job was as difficult as somebody in the military's. How f*cking dare you. While you sit in a makeup chair for two hours."

Sources: usatoday.com, usmagazine.com, businessinsider.com