Tom Cruise, responding to being labeled the "last movie star," acknowledged Brad Pitt as a "great actor" with "great charisma." The two actors, who co-starred in the 1994 film "Interview with the Vampire," have maintained a friendship over the years.
In a recent interview with GQ, Cruise pushed back against the "last movie star" characterization, emphasizing the continued talent and skill within the film industry. "There are many, many, many talented actors," Cruise stated, noting that he learns from and works alongside skilled craftsmen as a young actor and continues to do so throughout his career.
Cruise and Pitt also share a notable commonality: their children have legally dropped their famous fathers' last names. In July, Cruise and Katie Holmes's daughter, Suri, legally changed her name to Suri Noelle, taking her mother's middle name as her surname. Suri, 20, registered to vote in Pennsylvania using this new name, a requirement that mandates the use of one's legal name. This follows her decision to use "Suri Noelle" on her high school graduation records and for her senior play casting sheet. Suri has reportedly been estranged from her father since his 2012 divorce from Holmes.
Pitt's children with Angelina Jolie have also undergone similar name changes amid an estrangement. Maddox, 25, recently had his name legally changed from Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt to Maddox Chivan Jolie. Shiloh, 20, filed for a name change on her birthday in May, and Zahara, 21, has a name change hearing scheduled. Vivienne and Knox, 18, have also informally dropped their father's surname with plans to legalize the change. Maddox's name change was finalized in a Los Angeles court, which granted the petition with no objections. He attended the court hearing remotely. Maddox and Zahara had previously published legal notices in the Los Angeles Daily Journal declaring their intent to drop their father's last name. Pitt was married to Jennifer Aniston from 2000 to 2005 before moving on with Jolie. Their divorce was finalized in December 2024, eight years after their split in 2016.