Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz met on the set of Vanilla Sky in 2000, with Cruise going through a divorce from Nicole Kidman at the time. They began dating in 2001 after Cruise invited Cruz to his birthday party. Despite rumors of a romance during filming, both Cruz and Cruise maintained that they did not fall in love on set, with Cruz stating she has only fallen in love after working with someone. Cruise had previously found love on set with Kidman during Days Of Thunder.
The relationship between Cruise and Cruz lasted almost three years, from 2001 to early 2004. Both were extremely busy with their careers during this time. Cruise filmed several movies, including Mission: Impossible 2 and The Last Samurai, while Cruz also had various projects on the go including Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Blow. Despite their packed schedules, the couple made it work for a significant period of time.
Rumors of trouble in the relationship surfaced in early 2004, with Cruise attending events without Cruz. The split was confirmed in March of that year by their publicists, who stated that it was amicable and that no third party was involved. Cruz’s spokesman also made it clear that Scientology, a religion Cruise is closely associated with, did not play a role in the breakup. Cruise’s public displays of affection towards Cruz were well-known, with his admiration for her acting skills and beauty being openly expressed in interviews.
Despite the breakup, Cruise and Cruz remained friends. In the years following their split, they have been seen out together and have spoken positively about each other in interviews. Cruz has emphasized that she is grateful for what she has learned about Scientology and that it had nothing to do with their split. Cruz has now been happily married to Javier Bardem since 2010, while Cruise was married to Katie Holmes from 2006 to 2012 and has not had a serious relationship since.
Overall, the relationship between Cruise and Cruz was a significant one in both of their lives. They were known for their chemistry and affection for each other, with Cruise often going out of his way to surprise Cruz with romantic gestures. Now, both have moved on to other relationships and paths in their lives. Despite their busy schedules and different paths, they have maintained a friendship and mutual respect for each other. With Cruise enjoying his single life at 62, maybe a friendly catch up with Cruz and their mutual friends could lead to new opportunities in the romance department.
