Tom Cruise is undoubtedly one of the most famous and iconic stars in Hollywood.

After more than four decades in the industry, it’s become a celebrated fact that the 60-year-old doesn’t hold back in his never-ending mission to deliver the best viewing experience for movie goers.

While most movie studios heavily rely on visual effects and an army of stunt doubles, Cruise has gone as far as to refuse projects if he won’t be allowed to film scenes in real life.

Whether it’s having to train the entire Top Gun: Maverick cast to learn how to fly fighter jets or insisting on performing his own stunts for Mission: Impossible films, Cruise is always determined to go above and beyond.

As an actor and producer of some of the most successful films in history – including Mission: Impossible and Top Gun – Cruise is still able to command a box-office draw that contemporaries such as Brad Pitt are no longer able to match. For this reason, the actor has found himself crowned as the last true movie star.

Following the success of Top Gun: Maverick and the anticipated box-office dominance of the next Mission: Impossible instalments, it doesn’t look like Cruise will be slowing down anytime soon.

Though other actors such as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Vin Diesel have enjoyed great success with their own projects in recent years, Cruise remains above the rest of the pack.

Here, FEMAIL explores how Tom Cruise has managed to become the Daniel Day-Lewis of action reality…