Tom Cruise's Greatest Hits

Born of the Fourth of July tells the true story of Ron Kovic, a soldier paralyzed in the Vietnam War who felt betrayed by the country he fought for after returning home. "When I made that film people said, 'This is going to ruin your career. Why are you doing this after you did Top Gun. Why not just do Top Gun 2?'" Tom says. "I wanted to challenge myself."

"There was a time when I thought, 'This is when I'm going to know if I'm—can I go to that next level?' Because I did Rain Man and Born on the Fourth of July back-to-back, and I thought, 'Can I do this? Do I have talent?'"

Tom was given his answer. His passionate portrayal of an anti-war, pro-human rights activist earned him a Best Actor Oscar® nomination in 1990. Director Oliver Stone was awarded the Best Director Oscar for his work in this intensely moving film.

"When I finished it ... I remember being so exhausted I was sitting on the sidewalk, and Oliver came in, and I just looked up at him and I just realized there's nothing more I could have given," Tom says. "It was a beautiful validation getting the Oscar [nomination]."