Tom Cruise Talks Dad Issues, Jumping on Oprah's Couch

By PopEater Staff Posted May 25th 2010 10:55AM

Tom Cruise Talks Suri, Jumping on Oprah's Couch

Tom Cruise rocks the cover of the new 'How to Be a Man' issue of Esquire, dishing on Katie Holmes and Suri, the fabled couch-jumping Oprah incident and getting his start as an entertainer for his mom and sisters.

Featuring a photo shoot equal parts playful and serious, the selected highlights on Esquire's site hint at a rich, deep interview with one of Hollywood's most magnetic leading men.

Read on for highlights from the interview!

On his estranged father: "I remember looking at my dad and wanting to understand him. I didn't want to just write the guy off. He was lost. 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."

On forgiving his father: "'Risky Business' had become a hit. I hadn't seen my father in about 10 years. I found out he was dying, and I went to see him in the hospital. He knew that he'd blown it. There was deep regret. I think he was torturing himself. We tend to do that. All I could do was tell him, 'Look, it's okay.' I wasn't going to live in blame and regret. I wanted to understand what happened. I wanted to understand, so I could answer the question, What can I do to make things better? I looked at my father there dying and thought, How can I not be that guy?"

On becoming a father: "I'll never forget the moment I became a dad. But it's hard to describe -- that level of responsibility, the desire to give such joy. The clarity: Nothing is more important than this. I remember that first night, just staring at Bella. I was checking her every second, just looking at her, feeling that immediate bond. I was probably looking at her so much that I was keeping her up. I made a promise to her: All I can do is the best I can. But I'm not going to say I'm gonna do something and then not do it."

He loves performing for his kids: "It comes down to the same thing as when I was a kid. Can I create a character that will make her happy, that will make her laugh? And you know what? She makes me get better and better, because she's always asking me to do it again."

And, of course, a word on the couch-jumping Oprah incident: "What happened, happened. I wanted the audience to be happy just like I wanted to make my sisters and my mother happy when I did those skits as a kid. But I'll take responsibility for my actions. Afterward, wild things were being said about me, and once they're in the ether, there's nothing you can do about it. It felt like being the new kid in the schoolyard again and the other kids are whispering and whispering about you and suddenly you hear what they're saying, and you think, What? That didn't happen. Look at the reality of the situation."

Want More Tom? Check Out His Suri, Katie and Other Quotes on Esquire.com

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=847044&pid=847043&uts=1267999642

http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/movies/?s_channel=us.moviespop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Actor Tom Cruise attends the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cruise

Getty Images for The US-Ireland

Getty Images North America

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Director/producer/writer J.J. Abrams and actor Tom Cruise onstage during the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** J.J. Abrams;Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Actor Tom Cruise, president of the Irish American Alliance Trina Vargo and author Colum McCann attend the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cruise;Trina Vargo;Colum McCann

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Author Colum McCann and actor Tom Cruise attend the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Colum McCann;Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Snapshots

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 04: Actor Tom Cruise speaks onstage during the 5th Annual 'Oscar Wilde: Honoring The Irish In Film' held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on March 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for The US-Ireland Alliance) *** Local Caption *** Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Snapshots

Tags: Esquire, Tom Cruise

Comments

(36)

Tuesday 25 May

By ellen

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I'm sorry but I can't even watch this man anymore. The straw that broke my back was the Brooke Shields fiasco and the Matt Lauer interview. he was obsessed with his Scientology beliefs and he was pretty damn scarey. I felt sorry for him actually and for all the Scientologists in Hollywood trying to brainwash their fans to join the worshiping of their inter galactic space god. L. Ron Hubbard and they are fools.Don't use your fame to plug your religion just keep it to yourself and let us be entertained by your talent not put off by your "religion". That goes for Travolta, Kirstie and the Smith's too.

By Jenn

I agree with everything you said. Plus there are the rumblings of his sexuality. It's not the idea of him being gay that bothers me, it's the charade of his marriage and child in an attempt to look "straight." I know this happens all over Hollywood--Travolta is another example--and it infuriates me that they think we are that naive, shallow, and just plain dumb. The world can handle a gay Tom Cruise, and it may actually help all of the gays still experiences hate crimes every day in this country.

By Lauraine

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Have you not noticed that he is no longer pushing the Scientology part of his life to the forefront? He knows that it bothers some people so he's backed off. If he was a Roman Catholic and including his beliefs from that religion in his interviews probably no one would care - it's just that he is involved in a slightly offbeat version of Christianity that freaks people out. Look past that to the entertainer that he is. I like him as an actor and will continue to go to his movies.

By JB

Hi Ellen you want to really freak out read "Scientology - Abuse at the Top". Made me dislike Cruise, Travoltas, Kirsty Alley etc all the famous Scientologists that get catered to at the expense of the pions at the bottom. Its horrid...

By Mischa

Excatly! I couldn't care less about the couch jumping thing. It was his actions, demeanor and treatment of Matt Lauer on The Today Show and the things he said about Brooke that turned me off forever.

By Lori

Vote down Vote up Report this

As strange as he is damn this guy is fine

Wednesday 26 May

By get over it!

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

If Brooke and Matt have no-worries and have long forgotten and made ammends with Tom why do you care? Its not for you to worry about! what happened was so blown out of context and made to be so much more then it was! Even Brooke and Matt said it was overblown! Live in todays! Not yesturdays! also try and have emotions pertaining to your own life not live in others????some people have no life!!!!

By dorinda

He has a right to his opionion, and his sexuality is his business. He is a GREAT actor, like it or not. Tom, I still think you are gorgeous, and you are human and make mistakes like all of us. At least our mistakes arent broadcast, or we would all hang our judgemental, critical heads in shame.

By greg

lady the man was only trying to argue his position on the subject during a time when he was going through a lot of stuff. Plus it has been five years since his awkward behavior.get over yourself

By Gina

Why is he always trying to look like a macho stud in his staged photographs?

By Bonbon

Tom, it's over, you had your hayday and you lost it. OMG, that Oprah couch scene was too funny, still laughing about that one.

Had his day!!? LOL!! He banked enough money for your entire generation. he is a great actor and will continue to be. Get real!! Does your job pay hundreds of millions, or are you destined to work until you retire? He already did that and is still a very young man, with a HUGE bank account.

By Mrs. F.

If it walks like a jerk, and talks like a jerk and acts like a jerk...

By JK

Anybody else find it Ironic that Tom Cruise is on a cover of Esquire that's Touting "How to Be A Man"?

By rex

i believe that jumping on ones couch is accepted behavior in
the church of scientology.
i think their line of thinking is that the higher you jump the closer to their god you get

By Miriam Hoover

Tom wants to be an intellectual. But face it, he is illeterate! All that Scientology doesn't change this.
He has dyxlexia and may not have even finished high school. He does have good looks and is a talented actor. Than's all.

By nancy

Dearest Miriam: I do agree that Cruise is uneducated and tries quite unsuccessfully to fool people into thinking that he is an intellectual. But really, Miriam, if you are going to be critical of him about those things, at least proofread your criticisms for spelling errors, ie. ILLITERATE, DYSLEXIA and THAT'S.

By Reena

I've always liked Tom Cruise as an actor, his personal beliefs are his own. I do agree that he should keep them to himself and maybe he has learned that. I don't see one mention of Scientology in this interview, maybe he realized he lost some fans because of his beliefs - but I think he should be judged on his acting, that's what he's selling - not his religion.
And people stop bringing up the gay rumor...really? even if it were true, is it any of our business?

get over it you talk of others having no life who reply to these blogs sounds like you might need one yourself. When I'm on break at work I find things to amuse my boredom so I thought I'd leave my OPINION not anyone else's can't do that can i. So please get over yourself.

yea, get over it, it's entertainment, he put it all out there, so we can talk about it and give our opinions, who cares if Brooke and Matt forgave him, most of us are just laughing about it, we don't even know him so why would we forgive!!!!

Page 1 of 2