Before the blockbuster movies, elaborate stunts and decades of Hollywood fame, Tom Cruise tackled a very different kind of challenge, keeping an Upper West Side apartment building running.
Tom, 64, recalled working as a superintendent’s assistant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side before his acting career took off, he revealed on “Good Morning America,” according to the clip shared by Entertainment Weekly.
WATCH: Tom Cruise Reveals His NYC Job Before Hollywood Fame
“I shoveled the ice every day,” Tom said of the job. His responsibilities did not stop there. He said he took out garbage and entered tenants’ apartments when repairs were needed.
“I took care of it. Whatever you need!” he recalled. The “Mission: Impossible” star described himself as a hands-on worker who was used to taking whatever jobs were available while growing up.
Asked whether he approached maintenance work with the same determination he later brought to movie sets, Tom said his reaction to a problem was straightforward: “I want to fix it. I’ve got this!”
Watch the clip here:
The New York building tied to that period of his life has previously made headlines. A 2023 Fox Business report identified the property as 50 West 86th Street, a five-story building near Central Park.
That report described Tom as its superintendent, though his latest account more specifically identifies his role as the superintendent’s assistant.
Tom Cruise Was Still a Teenager When Hollywood Called
Tom was still in his teens when he began pursuing acting professionally. His first screen appearances included 1981’s “Endless Love” and “Taps.” Two years later, he appeared in “The Outsiders” before landing the role in “Risky Business” that helped turn him into a major young star.
His path to Hollywood also came with a personal change. Tom was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV.
He eventually shortened his professional name, dropping the surname he shared with his father, Thomas Cruise Mapother III, as reporyed by US Mirror.
GettyIn a 2006 interview with Parade, Tom described his father as a “bully” and spoke about the difficult relationship they had during his childhood.
Why Is Tom Cruise Talking About His Early Job Now?
Tom shared the story while promoting his latest film, “Digger,” directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
Tom plays Digger Rockwell, a powerful man racing to save humanity from a catastrophe he helped create.
The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons.
Tom Cruise Underwent a Major Transformation for ‘Digger’
The actor underwent extensive prosthetic work for the role, with the makeup process initially taking about six hours.
During the film’s press tour, Tom said the team eventually cut the process to under an hour by carefully rehearsing each step, as reported by Variety.
“Digger” begins its international theatrical rollout Wednesday, September 30, before opening in North American theaters and IMAX on Friday, October 2.
Decades after shoveling ice and answering maintenance calls in Manhattan, Tom is now looks back at the work that came before movie stardom with the same attitude he had then: find the problem and fix it.
