India, May 23 -- Hollywood star Tom Cruise is synonymous with the term 'action hero'. In his long career spanning over 40 years, Cruise has starred in some of the best action movies and franchises that have become iconic additions to the genre.

In 2025, Cruise returned with the eighth and final movie from the MI franchise, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, which hit theatres on 23 May.

However, Cruise didn't start out as an action star. Early on in his career, he mostly played supporting roles before landing leading parts in films like Legend (1985) and Top Gun (1986). The latter proved a turning point for Cruise, earning him some of the biggest breaks as an action lead.

In 1996, he starred in the first Mission: Impossible mo...