Why Did Tom Cruise Change His Name? His Relationship with His Father

Tom Cruise, born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, abandoned his birth name before becoming a Hollywood star. He sought to distance himself from his childhood and his father, Thomas Cruise Mapother III.

Mapother III passed away in 1984. Tom Cruise described him as a 'bully,' 'coward,' and 'merchant of chaos,' who bullied his children. The actor's mother divorced Mapother III in 1974.

Tom Cruise has credited Scientology with helping him overcome his dyslexia. He stated that he was 'functionally illiterate' when he graduated from school in 1980 but learned to read through Scientology.