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

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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)

Wednesday 26 May

By Mae White

Vote down Vote up Report this

It has been well established with timelines that Suri is not his bioloical child.
That said, he may still serve as a good father figure.
But I don't buy his clean family image; he's a repressed homosexual for sure.

Tuesday 25 May

By ellen

You've got to be kidding me if there is one religion that is persecuted more than any other it's christianity in ANY form . I mean Scientology,Islam they got taken out of the South Parks episodes b/c those folks would be offended but yet they are preparing a new "cartoon' JC about their Jesus character to be aired and yet NO ONE but myself and a handful of others are signing a petition to keep it off.These are the days of trials and tribulations for any Christian if you ask me. Even that pig Kathy Griffin said F Jesus accepting an award and people laughed so i have to disagree with your statement.

By ric

You may want to research before you speak! Kathy Griffin said F Jesus as a joke to all the rappers and sports people who believe that they are SO IMPORTANT that Jesus had to make sure that they won an award. If Jesus had to take care of certain things, don't you think it might be more important things like hunger, and disease and suffering? That was her point. If you can't understand then maybe you need to go back to church and truly understand religion rather than your version of it.

By nancy

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

HUH??? What point are you trying to make?

By Bill

If you would spend the same amount of time in more important things, the world would be so much better.

By grace

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

I like Tom Cruise - I like his movies - and I think he is sincere. I doubt that he is gay, although so many people seem to REALLY KNOW that he is! His religion is his business and I think he may realize he went a little overboard in his enthusiasm for it and for Katie. That said, all you haters just leave him alone. If you don't like him, don't read about him or see his movies. Enough is enough!

By Joe

He picks great vehicles and I love his movies and that's all I care about. What so called "stars" do personally is of no interest to me. I've never understood why we should be interested in the personal lives of actors. They are basically chameleons and should remain as such. They are their part and each is different. That's it. That said, Tom keep your religious side to yourself. I do, why should you be any different?

By Jeannette

TOM u did nothing wrong when u jumped on that couch, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO APPOLGIZE FOR SHOWING HAPPINESS. TELL THEM ALL TO KISS WHERE U SIT. HATTERS JEALOUSY THE WORLD IS FULL OF THEM.

By boz

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

For all you that say Tom is a fine Actor. True. But, Albert Speer was a fine architect. He just happened to be Hitler's pet.

By ABL INC

Why is it weird to want to be a good person? I know he's been a little impulsive in the past, but if everybody tried to do right like that, the world would be a better place.

By themeeker

I'm tired already of the midget Cruise in this round of publicity for another crappy movie. And the father's been dead for years...who cares?

By anon

It does seem for someone who supposed to be so secure he and his team go over the top (especially when negative Scientology reports crop up) to push the image of a manly man. It's like Ok we get it, you want us to buy the just one of the boys straight, married, father image. Not sure if I do because I "he doth protest to much." And, I dont think he's a great actor but to each thier own.

By Linda

Lauraine said.....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.
FOR YOUR INFO LAURAINE TOM IS NOT INVOLVED IN A "SLIGHTLY OFFBEAT VERSION OF CHRISTIANITY" AS YOU CLAIMED. SCIENTOLOGY IS NOT A RELIGION AT ALL, BUT A CULT.THAT IS WHAT FREAKS PEOPLE OUT.A CULT IS A CULT NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY TO PAINT THE PICTURE HERE. THERE IS NO "RELIGION" IN WHAT TOM CRUISE IS INVOLVED IN SO REALLY BEFORE YOU SPEAK DO YOUR HOMEWORK COZ WHAT YOU SAID IS NOTHING BUT PURE BS.

By Teri

I think I hear circus music.

By William Bischoff

If you don't "like" someone because of their religious beliefs, then you, yourself, are lacking in some way. A religion is a way of life which gives people purpose. There are many, many ways to live your life, and living according to a deep belief in a certain religion is certainly not the worst thing a person can do. It doesn't matter what someone else thinks or says about you. Each person has to live their own life and do the best they can with what life brings to them. I respect anyone who tries to do that. So many people say they are "religious", but are not what most would call "good people". They are not living a happy life, nor are they trying to make anyone else happy. If the worst thing a person does, is question a person's "depression", when, from all outward appearances, the person has no "reason" to be depressed, then they must be living a pretty good life for themselves. How could you blame someone for wanting to share that with others. How bad can they be, if they are so happy they don't understand "unhappiness"?

Monday 07 June

By ROSALIND VENIS

LOVE IT!
TOM CRUSE IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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