49. He Lives For Danger

Since the mid-90s, Cruise has done nearly all of his own stunts, but this has almost cost him on a number of occasions. Probably the most harrowing was when he was almost beheaded while filming The Last Samurai. In a terrifying accident, the mechanical horse he was riding malfunctioned, meaning he couldn’t duck out of the way of an oncoming sword. Only one actor’s quick thinking saved his life, stopping the blade an inch from Cruise’s neck.

50. He Found A New Love

Cruise’s next romance did seem normal for all of, oh, two seconds, but in the end, it was no less strange than what had transpired before. Many began to whisper about a potential romance with actress Katie Holmes. In April 2005, Cruise and Holmes made their first public appearance together—but soon after, a truly bizarre incident cast a dark shadow over their budding romance.