A Look At Tom Cruise's Complicated Relationship With The Beckhams

Silver screen legend Tom Cruise and soccer star David Beckham originally met in the early 2000s. They became besties after the athlete flew the actor to Spain for his 2004 Real Madrid game. The two were so close that David detailed in his bestselling 2009 book, "The Beckham Experiment," how he named his son Cruz in honor of his new friend. However, David and his wife Victoria Beckham subsequently endured a falling out with Cruise. Fortunately, certain events in 2024 indicate that they're all seemingly on good terms again, further illustrating the wild, rollercoaster relationship that they've had over the years.

In 2006, the Beckhams traveled to Italy for Cruise's wedding to fellow actor Katie Holmes. David later joined the LA Galaxy team, and according to the soccer star's book, Cruise's advice about the Los Angeles lifestyle cemented his desire to move there. The two couples frequently went for nights out on the town together, becoming media darlings in the process. The British transplants even bought a house near their pals in 2007 and were seen everywhere, with Cruise and Holmes attending David's games and the soccer star showing up at his friend's movie premieres. However, The Mirror quoted an insider who claimed, "Tom did everything for them when they first moved to LA. He practically gave them the keys to the city. He threw them a party to meet everyone important, and the moment they were established they chucked him!"

It really seemed as if the friendship between couples Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and David Beckham and Victoria Beckham was going swimmingly. However, around 2009 they gradually stopped being seen in public together as frequently. Cruise had been working on the film "Knight & Day," while David was off playing soccer in Milan, and thus the men naturally weren't able to hang out in person. In 2011, Cruise and David were spotted having a friendly discussion at a Lakers game, and later that year the actor enthused in an interview with The Mirror, "I'd love to do action movies with Beckham. He would be great, he could kick a**." 

Holmes and Cruise divorced in 2012, and the alleged reason that the Beckhams eventually pulled away from the actor too was because he allegedly kept trying to get them to join The Church of Scientology, despite the couple's unwillingness to do so. The Beckhams' rejection really affected Cruise, and although they later reached out to him, the "Collateral" star ignored their attempts to reconnect. "He's still angry and has no intention of being friends again," an insider confirmed to The Mirror in 2023. Cruise felt that their efforts to make amends with him were weak and according to the insider, "Tom clearly thinks they should have tried harder."

"The moment the entire planet has been waiting for," was the reaction from a fan to a clip that soccer star David Beckham posted to Instagram on April 20, 2024. The video was from his wife Victoria Beckham's 50th birthday celebrations, during which the Spice Girls reunited and grooved to one of their hit tunes together. While fans clamored for a reunion tour, that wasn't the only aspect of the party that grabbed headlines. The fact that Tom Cruise attended, and became the star of the party, garnered quite a lot of media attention. Considering the Beckhams and Cruise were on the outs as of 2023, his appearance suggests that things may have improved.

The "Mission Impossible" star's actions in and around the event spoke volumes about what kind of person he is, too. Cruise not only helped a photographer who had fallen outside the venue before entering but he also tore up the dance floor with his breakdancing skills, shocking the attendees. The Hollywood icon even took time after the party to generously sign autographs for waiting fans. With such benevolence on display, alongside his headline-grabbing attendance, it looks like Cruise's relationship with his former best friends may finally be on the mend.