Tom Cruise had a unique approach to practicing kissing scenes, which involved his sister’s friends.

Tom Cruise is currently flying high on the wave of success that has been his recent action drama film, Top Gun: Maverick. The movie – a sequel to the original Top Gun from 1986 – has risen to the top of the charts in domestic box office earnings for 2022.

On this trajectory, the film is on course to outshine all his other movies. That in itself is saying a lot, considering the magnificent career that the 59-year-old has enjoyed so far.

Over the course of that career, Cruise has had many top actresses shine opposite him as the leading ladies. In most instances, these characters would also end up being his own characters’ love interests.

Penélope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, and Elisabeth Shue are among those who have had the experience of being in an on-screen love story with Cruise. Among them, his partner in Mission: Impossible 2, British actress Thandiwe Newton was not impressed with his kissing skills, referring to the experience as ‘slightly icky and sort of wet.’

Cruise would not have been very impressed to hear that, considering he started practicing his French kissing skills on his sisters’ friends when they were younger.

Tom Cruise Grew Up In An Abusive Home

Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962 in Syracuse, New York. He was the third-born child – and only boy – in a family of four kids. His two elder sisters are Lee Ann Mapother DeVette and Marian Mapother, who are three years and one year older than him, respectively. Their youngest sister, Cass was born in 1964.

Cruise once revealed the challenges they experienced with their father, growing up for a period of time in Ottawa, Canada, and then later, back in the United States.

“He was a bully and a coward,” Cruise said of his father in a 2005 interview with Parade. “He was the kind of person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. It was a great lesson in my life – how he’d lull you in, make you feel safe and then, bang!”

These beatings created a defensive mechanism in the future Hollywood star, who says he completely lost all trust for his dad.

“For me, it was like, ‘There’s something wrong with this guy. Don’t trust him. Be careful around him.’ There’s that anxiety,” Cruise added.

Tom Cruise’s Sisters’ Friends Wanted To Practice French Kissing With Him

Tom Cruise is not just adored for his marvelous acting chops, he is also widely admired for his good looks. Even now, as he approaches his 60th birthday, the actor still looks in peak condition. This is all down to a brutal diet and workout regime that he maintains.

In 1990, the Mission: Impossible star was named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive, making him only the sixth man to have the honor bestowed on them at the time. Before him had been the likes of Sean Connery, Mark Harmon and pioneer, Mel Gibson.

It, however, seems that this general obsession with Cruise’s fine appearance did not start when he was a star. According to the actor, his sisters’ friends were clamoring to kiss him during their school days.

He first revealed this during an old interview with Barbara Walters of ABC. “My sisters and their friends would meet after school, talk about boys and practice kissing on me,” said Cruise.

Cruise was not one to complain, as he apparently relished the opportunity to hone his own French kissing skills.

Tom Cruise Barely Does Any More Intimate Scenes On Screen

Tom Cruise confirmed the story during a later appearance on British talk-show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in January 2009. When asked whether it was true that his sisters would bring their friends home for him to practice his French kissing, he said yes, and even added that he “would sprint home from school as soon as the bell rang.”

Jonathan Ross – host of the BBC One program – added to the humor by arguing that this was ‘the greatest gift a sister could ever give you.’ He also joked that at the time, he was practicing his own kissing skills on oranges.

Cruise has had a marked move over the years away from doing lots of intimate scenes on the screen. Some words from his spokeswoman in the ‘90s might explain this: “Is this Cruise’s way of saying, ‘I’m a serious actor now’?” she posed. “Coming-of-age films are about discovering things like sex. Tom’s 31 years old now. He’s come of age.”

Cruise did share a fleeting, but significant sex scene with Jennifer Connelly in Top Gun: Maverick.