Tom Cruise’s 5 most controversial moments, from yelling about cookie dough – allegedly – and that leaked Mission: Impossible 7 clip, to his iconic couch jump on Oprah
- The Top Gun actor had a feud with Brooke Shields for criticising her use of antidepressants, but they made up as she attended his wedding to Katie Holmes
- Former Scientologist Leah Remini claimed that he once got mad over cookies, plus there was that leaked audio of him shouting at staff for breaking Covid-19 rules during filming
Tom Cruise has been in the Hollywood spotlight for over 40 years, with nearly 60 films under his belt. The movie star needs no introduction, but away from the silver screen, he’s faced numerous controversies with the most infamous feat being his involvement in the Church of Scientology.
We delve into the actor’s lifetime of shocking moments, from when he jumped up and down on the couch at Oprah’s show to those numerous times he lost his temper.
1. In 1999, Tom Cruise laughed while recounting a story where he restricted oxygen for a passenger on a plane
During an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman in 1999, Cruise recalled a moment where he restricted oxygen for a passenger when flying to Colorado. According to Cruise, he and his co-pilot as well as a passenger were using oxygen masks because they were flying at high altitudes. However, Cruise said that he soon realised that he did not have enough oxygen to stay alert at that altitude.
Cruise then said he and the co-pilot decided to turn off the oxygen mask for the passenger so that they could continue their journey.
This caused the audience and Cruise to laugh. As he continued telling the story of how the passenger passed out due to the lack of oxygen, Cruise kept laughing, making Letterman appear uncomfortable.
At first, Letterman was confused and asked: “But honestly, looking at it from another direction isn’t that attempted manslaughter? You just turned a guy’s oxygen off. You’re lucky you’re not doing time, for the love of God.”
Once Letterman was assured of the passenger’s safety, the host joined in with Cruise’s laughter.
2. He shocked everyone by jumping on a sofa on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005
The sofa jump on The Oprah Winfrey Show in May 2005 is one of the most iconic moments of Cruise’s interviews.