Over the last two decades, Tom Cruise has steered himself coolly to superstardom—and of the screen names today, his is the biggest. From the start, his fine acting, boy-next-door looks, and winning smile ensured him a place at the top of Hollywood’s A-list, and his increasingly fine performances in films like Vanilla Sky, Magnolia, Minority Report, and Eyes Wide Shut have kept him there. Author Wensley Clarkson has spent years interviewing those close to the actor, and in this perceptively written profile, he reveals a complex and intriguing personality who, from his teens, has been driven by a potent combination of talent, ambition, personal demons, and the need for total control in every area of his life.