After some bizarre public outbursts and spats, two dramatic divorces and increasingly unsettling rumors and revelations about his Scientology connections in recent years, Tom Cruise’s image has been depleted but clearly not defeated. His new film, Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, may push the actor’s box-office total north of $8 billion, making him one of the most consistently bankable stars in movie history. However, Cruise’s public image has continued to fray in recent months. His continued involvement with Scientology and close friendship with Church leader David Miscavige were the basis of unflattering portrayals in Lawrence Wright’s 2013 book Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief and Alex Gibney’s recent documentary of the same name. It remains to be seen whether those revelations will do lasting damage to his reputation.
