‘No Excuse’: Tom Cruise’s Response to Question about Father’s Day Ignited Criticism #18

While walking the red carpet at a New York screening of “Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning” on Monday, May 19, Tom Cruise was reminded that Father’s Day is just around the corner. His response about how he plans to spend the day has left many fans disappointed and speaking out.

When chatting with an interviewer at the action film’s premiere, Tom was asked, “What would an ideal Father’s Day look like for you?”

The question seemed to catch the actor off guard, as he glanced briefly to the side before responding. “Hey, just having fun, man. Making movies, big adventure, having a great time,” he shared.

Some social media users didn’t hold back after Tom’s response to the Father’s Day question surfaced online. One user summed up their disappointment by declaring, “He’s a sad sad soul!! Hasn’t seen his beautiful daughter in years. Shame on him.”

Another person chimed in, “Oh man! Not one mention of spending it with his kids! He was stumped by the question, ‘man’! ‘Making movies’? Deadbeat dad.” Others echoed the sentiment, “He forgets he’s a parent.” One viewer even turned the criticism into a jab, “And The Worst dad award goes to.”

Another person also penned their frustrations, “No excuse for being an absent parent. Ur child just want u there free of charge. Kind of sad if a person can’t do the bare minimum.”

One individual reflected on personal experience, “I don’t understand how a parent can do this to their child. I know these instances in my life to people I am close to. It’s incomprehensible.”

Some people pointed out, “That’s the sad part of his life with all the success how can he not have a relationship with his only biological daughter.”

But not everyone aimed their frustration at Tom. One viewer criticized the media, “Petty of the reporter to even ask this question to him knowing the history of everything, media is degrading.”

Tom is a father of three. He adopted Isabella, 32, and Connor, 30, with former wife Nicole Kidman, and shares his youngest daughter, Suri Cruise—now 19 and attending Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh—with ex-wife Katie Holmes.

In 2024, when Suri marked her high school graduation from LaGuardia High School with a joyful celebration alongside her mother, her father was notably absent from the event. Meanwhile Katie captured the special day in photos with her and a friend outside a brick building before they made their way to the United Palace Theatre in Manhattan’s Washington Heights.

The 19-year-old wore a delicate white dress beneath a red graduation robe, completing the look with white sandals adorned with floral details. Her brown hair was left down for the occasion.

Her mother chose a coordinated light yellow outfit featuring pleated pants and a collared long-sleeve top. At the time, reports indicated that her father was in London attending Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

The graduate also appeared to distance herself from Tom symbolically, as the ceremony’s program listed her name as “Suri Noelle,” omitting his last name.

Tom’s estrangement from his youngest daughter has been linked to his long-standing involvement with the Church of Scientology, according to a former member of the organization. The last time he was publicly seen with her was in 2013, shortly after his ex-wife filed for divorce in 2012.

However, former Scientologist Samantha Domingo claimed the appearance may have been staged to avoid public scrutiny, suggesting that the actor is not permitted to have a relationship with his daughter because she is not a Scientologist.

She speculated that Tom may have participated in the 2013 sighting to give the impression of a continuing connection.

Samantha, who left the Church in 2004, explained that within Scientology, spiritual beliefs such as reincarnation can influence personal relationships. She noted that from the religion’s perspective, “Suri’s not really his daughter — she’s just a spiritual being in his daughter’s body.”

Despite these claims, a Church spokesperson strongly denied all of Samantha’s allegations, dismissing them as completely false and insisting that the inquiry misrepresented both the Church and its practices. Meanwhile, Tom Cruise is known to have maintained close ties with his older children, Isabella and Connor.

Currently, Tom is at the center of online conversation as he promotes “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.” A recent photo posted by veteran TV presenter Richard Wilkins, taken after an interview with the star, fueled buzz across social media platforms.

Richard, 70, known for decades of celebrity interviews on Australia’s Channel Nine, posted the picture on Instagram. He stood smiling beside Tom, 62, after wrapping up a chat about the actor’s latest action-packed sequel.

“Always a pleasure to catch up with the great @tomcruise,” Richard wrote in the caption. “#missionimpossiblethefinalreckoning is a beast of a movie! Bigger, faster, higher, deeper… this guy keeps raising the bar… and then jumping over it again… and again!”

But it wasn’t the movie hype that fans latched onto. Instead, the noticeable height difference between the two men became the focal point. Comments poured in, many expressing surprise at Tom’s stature next to the Australian reporter. One person wrote, “How huge is that man next to Tom Cruise? Wow. Looks like a giant. 😂”

Others focused on Tom himself, with remarks like “OMG, how small is he?” and “He’s tiny!” Another added, “Omg how short is he lol 😝” while someone else questioned, “Did he shrink?”

Beyond comments on physical size, some observers questioned the nature of the image itself. “Weird photo? The size, not height diff is insane,” wrote one person. Another suggested possible distortion, “That photo doesn’t look right – I know Tom Cruise is short but the photo looks distorted somehow?”

While the viral photo ignited debates about Tom’s height, much of the illusion comes down to positioning. In the image, Richard stands slightly forward, closer to the camera, a detail that can exaggerate visual proportions. Even so, Richard, at 1.88 meters (6’2″), naturally cuts a taller figure than Tom.

The Hollywood actor, long listed at 5’7″, is more precisely reported to stand at 172.1 cm—or roughly 5ft 7¾. The difference is real, but the photo’s angle amplifies it. Still, it was enough to distract fans from the main purpose of the meeting: talking about “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning.”

The conversation between Tom and Richard offered a rare look at the actor’s mindset. Known for his jaw-dropping stunts, Tom leaned into his reputation for pushing physical boundaries. In their interview, he described the film’s action sequences as unparalleled.

“It is the most extreme practical action, the most complicated practical action ever filmed in the history of movies,” Tom said, describing the scale of the production. But his pursuit of adrenaline isn’t a recent habit. According to Tom, the thirst for high-risk experiences started early.

When asked what drives him, Tom replied, “My interest in the world, my interest in life… passion for storytelling.” It’s a mindset that’s shaped his career and perhaps explains why he often opts to perform his own stunts.

Richard tapped into Tom’s origins with a playful question: was his first stunt sliding across the floor in socks during “Risky Business?” Tom smiled and reached back further.

“It was probably about when I was three years old, climbing on the roof of my house in the middle of the night,” he shared. “I figured out if a window was open I could climb out and look at the stars. It was always just part of who I am.”

This lifelong sense of wonder and daring seems to have guided much of his work on screen. Asked if fear ever enters the picture, Tom gave a candid, measured response. “It’s not that I don’t get scared, Richard. It’s just that I don’t mind being scared,” he said with a laugh. “It’s not something that I worry about.”

As social media buzzes over his viral photo, Tom is focused elsewhere — on one of cinema’s most prestigious stages. The Hollywood veteran is currently in France, attending the 78th Festival de Cannes.

This marks his third appearance on the iconic Croisette. His Cannes debut came in 1992 for the premiere of “Far and Away.” Then, after a long absence, Tom returned in 2022 for a momentous occasion, the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Now, in 2025, he returns once again. This time, he brings “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” the latest and reportedly final installment in the high-octane franchise that has defined a major part of his career.