Being Tom Cruise
Being Tom Cruise is a satirical spoof documentary from Channel 4’s Star Stories. It is the second episode of the show’s second series and first aired on 2 August 2007. The parody follows Tom Cruise’s life and his ties to the Church of Scientology, using humorous exaggeration to tell his story.
In the sketch, Cruise (played by Kevin Bishop) rises from his early acting days to join Scientology after meeting John Travolta (Steve Edge), who bullies him into the religion with a shovel. The episode covers his high-profile relationships, first with Nicole Kidman (Dolly Wells) and later with Katie Holmes (Laura Patch), and it also features a nod to Penélope Cruz. The humor includes the Brat Pack as Cruise’s circle of friends, alien spirit guides with Welsh accents, and spoofed moments like Cruise’s famous couch-jumping on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The end of the program has a playful voiceover urging viewers to visit a Scientology-themed site and buy products.
Production notes describe the second series of Star Stories, which lined up other celebrity parodies, including Simon Cowell and Britney Spears. The show received positive reviews from several outlets, with The Guardian, The Evening Times, The Daily Mirror, and The Sunday Times among those praising its bold, broad humor. Some critics noted potential legal sensitivities around parodying Cruise and Scientology, but star and creators defended the approach, stressing careful wording and strong writing.
Being Tom Cruise combines celebrity gossip, satire, and outlandish fantasy to lampoon the actor’s life, his Scientology connection, and his relationships, all delivered in Star Stories’ irreverent, over-the-top style.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 03:34 (CET).