Tom Cruise Quotes & Sayings

I've never done work for money ever. If your choices are based on grosses and the film doesn't do well, what does that mean? It leaves you with nothing. — Tom Cruise

I've gotten very good at scheduling my life, scheduling the scene and preparing myself for knowing, saving the energy, consuming the energy, knowing when to go for it and having the available reserves to be able to do that. You have to think about that, because it's endurance. — Tom Cruise

Of course [I believe in aliens]. Are you so arrogant as to believe we are alone in this universe? — Tom Cruise

Every single time I start to do a picture, without fail, I feel as if I don't know what I'm doing. — Tom Cruise

I've always had the same values. Family for me has always been important. When I shoot, everybody comes. — Tom Cruise

Whether it's making a film or raising my children, personally I'm striving to do the right things and to learn. — Tom Cruise

The exciting part of acting, I don't know how else to explain it, are those moments when you surprise yourself. — Tom Cruise

I disagree with people who think you learn more from getting beat up than you do from winning. — Tom Cruise

Making a movie is like a chess game. It's about constantly changing patterns, adapting to new things. It's not just black and white, as you know. — Tom Cruise

I don't care who you are, life has challenges. — Tom Cruise

When I'm promoting a film, I'm not going to get caught up in anything else, and that includes all my personal things. — Tom Cruise

Who hasn't danced in their underwear? — Tom Cruise

I love adventure movies, I just love action adventure films. It's pure cinema and you go in and you're lost to it. To me, it's that challenge - I want to give an audience that ride, that entertainment. — Tom Cruise

There is Life in every breath ... — Tom Cruise

When I work, I work very hard. So I look to work with people who have that level of dedication. And I depend on that from everyone. From the director to my crews that I work with. — Tom Cruise

Where do I get my seriousness? You can't help but grow up fast when your parents get divorced. You see your mother go to get food stamps and she's making fifty dollars too much to get them, with four kids to support. — Tom Cruise

When I was about 7 years old, I had been labeled dyslexic. I'd try to concentrate on what I was reading, then I'd get to the end of the page and have very little memory of anything I'd read. I would go blank, feel anxious, nervous, bored, frustrated, dumb. I would get angry. My legs would actually hurt when I was studying. My head ached. All through school and well into my career, I felt like I had a secret. When I'd go to a new school, I wouldn't want the other kids to know about my learning disability, but then I'd be sent off to remedial reading. — Tom Cruise

I love kids. I was a kid myself, once. — Tom Cruise

Individuals have to decide what is true and real for them. — Tom Cruise

I just want to help people. I'm a helper. For instance, I myself have helped hundreds of people get off drugs. In Scientology, we have the only successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. It's called Narconon. — Tom Cruise

I've been ... chased by paparazzi, and they run lights, and they chase you and harass you the whole time. It happens all over the world, and it has certainly gotten worse. You don't know what it's like being chased by them. — Tom Cruise

I feel the need ... the need for speed. — Tom Cruise

As an actor - like an artist - you have to ask, "Why do I choose a certain moment to play something a certain way?" It's organic to who we are. — Tom Cruise

I enjoy working with writers and their scripts. It's very exciting to me. Eventually I would like to produce, direct and act onstage, but it's not a heavy pressure. When I do it, I want to do it well. I'm just educating myself with writers and scripts, because I didn't read a lot of books when I was growing up. — Tom Cruise

For me as a man, philosophically, when you talk about honor and integrity, that's the way I want to live my life. It moved me. — Tom Cruise

I've had a very interesting life. There are ways of handling the complexities. I'm willing to take on the responsibilities as a father, as a producer, as an actor; and I enjoy that. I've always been changing and evolving and growing. There's no pinnacle of power where you can sit back and relax. — Tom Cruise

Stanley Kubrick was very selective when he went into a close-up. Every director has his taste in a performance, but Stanley would explore a scene to find what was most interesting for him. — Tom Cruise

I've never made a film that I didn't believe in, you know? However the picture turns out, I've always given everything to it. That's kind of how I approach life. I can't help it. There's no part-way with me on anything in any area of my life. — Tom Cruise

Yes, of course. Are you really so arrogant as to believe we are alone in this universe? Millions of stars, and we're supposed to be the only living creatures? No, there are many things out there, we just don't know. — Tom Cruise

It seems to me that if there were any logic to our language, trust would be a four letter word. — Tom Cruise

I don't pretend to be the character I AM the character. — Tom Cruise

I look at the Samurai because they were the artists of their time. What I think struck me when I read Bushido is compassion. 'If there's no one there to help, go out and find someone to help.' That hit me, because I try to lead my life like that. — Tom Cruise

Even in my dreams, I'm an idiot who knows he's about to wake up to reality. — Tom Cruise

I didn't become an actor to have power, but it just happens that I have it and so I have a lot of opportunities. — Tom Cruise

You know what? I'm sure drug dealers on the street, in some way, they are making money. That's what I equate it to. Here is the thing: you have to understand, with psychiatry, there is no science behind it. And to pretend that there is a science behind it is criminal — Tom Cruise

But I think also you look at Scientology it is the fastest growing religion. It's helped so many people. — Tom Cruise

I love what I do. I take great pride in what I do. And I can't do something halfway, three-quarters, nine-tenths. If I'm going to do something, I go all the way. — Tom Cruise

I just eat life ... I engage in life. — Tom Cruise

It's well known I'm a Scientologist, and that has helped me to find that inner peace in my life and it's something that has given me great stability and tools that I use. — Tom Cruise

People go for help, but their lives don't get better because of those psychiatric drugs. They get worse. They feel numb and they're told that's a good thing. It's how you degrade a society
by drugging the piss out of it. — Tom Cruise

I believe in life. I know that life comes in at your heart and it doesn't matter if you're an actor, a filmmaker or a gentleman on the street, it comes at you. What Scientology gives me is the tools to deal with that, to better enjoy my life and to be able to contribute more. — Tom Cruise

Every time I make a "Mission" movie or other films, people kind of look at me and go, "Well, now what? What's next?" I think there's always going to be another mountain. I think there's something always in store. — Tom Cruise

I've spent many birthdays on a movie set, all great days. — Tom Cruise

I structure the scripts and work on them on films and work on scenes with writers and but I haven't written a script myself, I really respect what they do and I'm fortunate I get to work with people that I really enjoy working with and we all kind of spitball and work together on these things, but I haven't written a script yet. — Tom Cruise

I'm always around my mother and sisters. I always wanted to be a father, a husband. — Tom Cruise

But my friends are happy for me. The people who know me are happy. My mom is happy. My family is happy. — Tom Cruise

Everybody dies, Sally. The thing is to die well. — Tom Cruise

My name is Joel Goodson. I deal in human fulfillment. I grossed over eight thousand dollars in one night. — Tom Cruise

Awards are wonderful. I've been nominated many times and I've won many awards. But my journey is not towards that. If it happens it will be a blast. If it doesn't, it's still been a blast. — Tom Cruise

I think if technology is used in a way that is not responsible, that is a bad thing. I think technology and where it is going inevitable, and there's great benefits that can help an individual in society at large. — Tom Cruise

I don't care what someone believes. I don't care what nationality they are. But if someone wants to get off drugs, I can help them. If someone wants to learn how to read, I can help them. If someone doesn't want to be a criminal anymore, I can give them tools that can better their life. — Tom Cruise

Do I make mistakes? Yeah. — Tom Cruise

Saddam has committed many crimes against humanity and against his own people. — Tom Cruise

I demand a lot of myself. I want to learn. I can't sit back. I like a challenge, so I create a lot of challenges for myself. — Tom Cruise

I'm passionate about learning. I'm passionate about life. — Tom Cruise

I've learned to relax more. Everybody feels pressure in what they do, maybe mine is just a little different because there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish what I want to. — Tom Cruise

As a young actor, people were trying to define who I was before I really knew that for myself. But I still remember thinking, 'This is what I love doing, and I hope I'm going to be able to do it forever.' — Tom Cruise

Have you ever gotten the feeling that you aren't completely embarrassed yet, but you glimpse tomorrow's embarrassment? — Tom Cruise

I feel good about the decisions that I made and I?m happy. You know, I?m really happy. — Tom Cruise

When I work, I'm the actor. I'm going to do my job. I'm not going to direct the movie. If I wanted to direct it, I would direct it. I wanted J.J. Abrams to direct Mission: Impossible. I work with people that I respect. I expect them to do their jobs, and I will do mine. And I am there as a producer to help in any way, but no one makes a movie by themselves. It's a collaboration. — Tom Cruise

I'm not greedy. I just want my half. — Tom Cruise

I'm someone who doesn't believe in making my problems other people's problems. — Tom Cruise

I don't hide from cameras or anything. It doesn't bother me. I don't seek our press for the women I'm dating, but if it finds me, it finds me. — Tom Cruise

Today, people can say anything they want. Suddenly it gets in the rumor mill and then it evolves and then somehow it becomes fact and you say, What is this? You know, why don't you ask me? — Tom Cruise

I remember looking at my dad and wanting to understand him. I didn't want to just write the guy off. He was lost. I can't speak specifically in terms of why and how he got to where he was - that was his journey. All I can tell you is, he was overwhelmed by life ... My mother basically did all the work, and then they got separated and I didn't see him for a long time. He didn't try to help the family financially or spiritually, and I lived with the effects of the chaos. — Tom Cruise

I'm a good listener. I think it's the one characteristic that's most important. I've always been that way. Not that I take all the advice, but you've got to listen to it and have the courage to make your own decision. And just go for it. — Tom Cruise

I would live with all of my sisters if I could. We've always been very close, my sisters and me. — Tom Cruise

I like to work with people that I like hanging out with, that I admire, that are really smart and talented, and we can problem solve together. — Tom Cruise

For me, to take a movie and travel the world and go and work with these cultures and an international cast and have this spy thriller that's not just about character but also action and suspense, they're very challenging films as a producer to make, creating stories, creating set pieces that serve this character [Ethan Hunt]. — Tom Cruise

In this life, it's not what you hope for, it's not what you deserve - it's what you take! — Tom Cruise

There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance. — Tom Cruise

Here's how I've lived my life: I've never been late to a set. I make films I believe in. I feel privileged to be able to do what I love. — Tom Cruise

Seriously, I would go in a second. I'd be the first actor in space and I'd love to do it. — Tom Cruise

If you have kids, it is the most important thing to create good times. — Tom Cruise

The important thing is to be relaxed in your work. Same in life. Don't make everything too intense. Then you can let everything go and not "act". — Tom Cruise

I'm usually nervous to meet people that I admire because what if they're not cool or something? — Tom Cruise

I had to train myself to focus my attention. I became very visual and learned how to create mental images in order to comprehend what I read. — Tom Cruise

No dream is ever just a dream. — Tom Cruise

If someone doesn't want to be a criminal anymore, I can give them tools that can better their life. You have no idea how many people want to know what Scientology is. — Tom Cruise

Stanley Kubrick was brilliant at getting under the audience's skin. He was very interested in the idea of, 'How can I tell this with just a camera?' — Tom Cruise

On film Vanilla Sky: You're going to get the full experience of what love is. — Tom Cruise

Psychiatry is a pseudoscience ... You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do ... Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, you don't even -you're glib. You don't even know what Ritalin is. — Tom Cruise

Talk is over-rated as a means of settling disputes. — Tom Cruise

I've had such extremes in my life. From being this kind of wild kid, to one year studying to be a Franciscan priest at the seminary ... I was very frustrated. — Tom Cruise

I don't care if you print something nasty about me. If it's true, fine. I don't care. But just make sure it's the truth. — Tom Cruise

My childhood was extremely lonely. I was dyslexic and lots of kids make fun of me. That experience made me tough inside, because you learn to quietly accept ridicule. — Tom Cruise

The thing about film-making is I give it everything, that's why I work so hard. I always tell young actors to take charge. It's not that hard. Sign your own cheques, be responsible. — Tom Cruise

Being a Scientologist, when you drive past an accident ... you know you have to do something about it because you know you're the only one that can really help. — Tom Cruise

As a kid, when I got to the edge of a cliff I wanted to jump off. I didn't want to kill myself. I wanted to fly. — Tom Cruise

I go without sleep, I just go hard. — Tom Cruise

Emotions kick up. You try not to kick things up, but you go through things you can't help. — Tom Cruise

Perception and reality are two different things. — Tom Cruise

I feel lonely at times, but I don't want to get into a relationship with someone if it is not right. I'm not the type of person who just does things to do them. — Tom Cruise

When you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. — Tom Cruise

When you have to cope with a lot of problems, you're either going to sink or you're going to swim. — Tom Cruise

I used to go to Maple Leafs games all the time when Nic shot To Die For here in Toronto. This is a great city. I love it here. — Tom Cruise

I want a world without war, a world without insanity. I want to see people do well. I don't even think it's as much as what I want for myself. It's more what I want for the people around me. That's what I want. — Tom Cruise

You can put the camera in places where you may not necessarily be able to put it there if I don't do the stunt. If it's character and it's storytelling, then we do it. We design the things around me. I don't do it just to do a stunt. It's storytelling for me and how I can best bring the audience into the action, bring the audience into the story. And that's how we always look at at. — Tom Cruise

When I first started out all the attention could be a bit unnerving, especially when people stared. Now I find the best thing is to just relax. Being recognized is just something you have to get used to. — Tom Cruise

We live in a world in which we are able to communicate very quickly in many different ways, and yet we find communicating more difficult than ever. When in fact we need communication more urgently than ever, because the enemies that threaten us are universal: drugs, illiteracy and crime. We have to fight against them together. — Tom Cruise