We know him as one of the world’s biggest movie stars, with a net worth of $600 million (£495m) and a string of blockbusters to his name, but back in the early 80s Tom Cruise worked as a building superintendent to help pay his rent.

Cruise lived in a 300-square-foot studio apartment in this historic townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, according to the New York Post. While his mother paid half his rent, Tom made up the shortfall by changing lightbulbs and taking out the rubbish.

Now, the iconic Renaissance Revival building is for sale for a shade under $15 million (£12.4m). Let’s take a look around, and see just how far Hollywood’s favourite leading man has come…

Tom Cruise has come a long way since his humble childhood. He was born on 3 July 1962 in Syracuse, New York, and lived in both America and Canada during his childhood, much of which was tumultuous according to an interview he gave to Parade magazine. 

Cruise discovered his talent for acting in high school and aged 18 he moved to New York, where he worked as a busboy while trying to make it as an actor according to Fox News. He was propelled into the limelight by his role in the 1983 film Risky Business.

From there, he left his humble digs and began snapping up real estate at home and abroad, ranging from a remote ranch in the mountains to a plush Florida penthouse.

Cruise was lucky enough to live in this five-storey, 9,165-square-foot townhouse at the very start of his career. Built in 1907, it was a speakeasy during the prohibition era and has plenty of historic details that survived, including a grand limestone entrance, exposed brickwork, original mouldings and an ornate staircase.

While it may not have been finished to quite such a high standard back in 1980, we’re sure Tom appreciated living in such a beautiful building, despite having to take out the trash.

Just 25 feet wide, the building currently houses nine units, including two duplex penthouses, as well as a commercial space and a pool. The current owner bought it in 1999 for the bargain price of $2.7 million (£2.2m), from Funny Girl actor Lee Allen and his caberet performer wife, Abbey, the New York Post reports. They once hosted a birthday party for Barbra Streisand in the building, and often took struggling actors under their wing.

The bijou apartments have seen many young actors come and go over the years. “[Lee and Abbey] were a showbiz couple and considered some of the residents like family. They really lived their lives through that building,” current owner Therese Flaherty told the Post.

“There’s a really sweet Christmas card they once showed me from Tom’s mother, thanking them for taking care of her son. She’d often leave a little note for them, letting them know that he took out the garbage, swept the rugs and changed the lightbulbs before flying off to LA.” 

Cruise landed his movie debut in the 1981 film Endless Love, playing a bit part alongside Brooke Shields. Later that year, he scored a bigger role in Taps and his days working as a building caretaker were over.

However, the Mission Impossible star wasn’t the only famous face to have lived in the elegant townhouse. Sarah Jessica Parker and her then boyfriend Robert Downey Jr. lived in the penthouse back in the 80s, while Friends and The Simpsons actor Hank Azaria also rented a unit. 

The property has been home to so many budding young stars over the years, that is has become known as the ‘Good Luck’ building.

However, the building hasn’t always proved lucky for everyone. Aretha Franklin’s musical director and band leader, King Curtis, lived in one of the apartments in the early 70s. He worked with John Lennon on the Imagine album on the ground floor of the townhouse, because the pool provided excellent acoustics, according to the New York Post.

But on an August night in 1971, Curtis went outside to try to fix an issue with his fuse box. He confronted a man loitering on the building’s steps and a fight broke out. Curtis was fatally stabbed, aged just 36. His star-studded funeral was presided over by Jesse Jackson and, in 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.

With such a storied past, we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this iconic New York gem. 

Read on to tour more of Tom Cruise’s incredible homes…

Movie megastar Tom Cruise is known for his iconic blockbuster roles, high-profile relationships and controversial interview moments, making him one of the world’s most famous faces. The veteran actor and prominent Scientologist is also one of the richest stars in the world, so it’s no surprise that he has built up an impressive property portfolio over the years.

Let’s step inside Tom Cruise’s spectacular homes and discover more about one of Hollywood’s most elusive stars…

In 2006, Cruise reportedly shelled out $4.2 million (£3.5m) for this spectacular English country estate in West Sussex. Known as Rede Place, the property can be found in East Grinstead, a strange little town, just down the road from the British headquarters of the Church of Scientology, which obviously wasn’t a coincidence.

As one of the world’s most high-profile Scientologists, Cruise clearly wanted a base near to the church’s significant English estate, Saint Hill Manor.

The luxurious country mansion sits on over 14 acres of land and boasts an impressive 11,331-square-foot interior. The bespoke house was built in 2003, which likely makes Cruise one of its first owners. Yet despite its age, the property offers plenty of characterful architectural features.

Inside, the modern mega-mansion is light-filled and dramatic, effortlessly blending state-of-the-art touches with traditional architectural elements. From coffered ceilings to natural timber accents, integrated sound systems and zoned lighting, the property really does offer the best of both worlds.

The estate has a total of eight bedrooms and five bathrooms, split between the main house and a separate, self-contained guest pavilion.

The luxurious basement level is home to the ultimate entertaining space, which includes a movie theatre, games room and dance studio with a sprung floor. There are several living rooms, as well as a bright kitchen that opens up to the garden. The home’s top floor has been dedicated to a stunning master suite, complete with a private sitting room.

The perfect choice for a Hollywood A-lister, the house lies behind electric security gates and is kitted out with CCTV. A long, winding driveway meanders through manicured gardens, protecting the home from prying eyes. Outside, there’s a glistening swimming pool, hot tub and tennis court. 

Tom listed the home for sale in October 2015, before eventually selling it to ‘Mysterious Girl’ singer, Peter Andre, for just under $6 million (£5m) in 2016. 

In 2015, Tom Cruise placed his lavish Hollywood Hills compound on the market for just short of $13 million (£10.7m). The estate was snapped up by another celebrity, none other than Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, for the marked-down price of $11.4 million (£9.4m). 

Described by the listing agents, The Altman Brothers, as a ‘one-of-a-kind celebrity compound’ with ‘unrivaled privacy and charm’, the property may have been bought by Cruise in 2005 for just under $11.7 million (£9.7m), Variety suggests.

Interestingly, the house always seems to sell for a loss, with Longoria selling the property on in 2020 for just less than $8.3 million (£6.8m), a much lower sum than she originally paid.

Built in 2004, the impressive pad has plenty of Old World charm and was inspired by the country estates found in Tuscany, Italy. The entire estate was remodelled in 2006, likely by Cruise, and comes complete with seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, as well as light-filled living areas with vaulted ceilings, European-style décor and wide-plank hardwood floors.

There’s a beautiful chef’s kitchen, numerous alfresco dining terraces and a three-acre garden with a lagoon-style pool. From the secluded grounds, you can soak up spectacular 180-degree views across Los Angeles, making this beautiful property perfect for Hollywood royalty.

The estate also boasts a self-contained, four-bedroom guesthouse, which is big by anyone’s standards! Variety suggests that the Mission: Impossible star may not have used the property as a full-time residence but as a secure Scientology retreat. Whatever he used it for, we can totally understand why Cruise decided to buy this dreamy Hollywood compound.

After almost a decade of ownership, the actor decided to part ways with his opulent Beverly Hills mansion, listing it in 2015 for a staggering reported price tag of $50 million (£41.2m). Built in 1937, the seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom estate offers 10,286 square feet of luxurious living space, plus a sprawling backyard with a large swimming pool.

Cruise had previously snapped up the lavish property in an off-market deal for $30.5 million (£25.2m) in 2007 with his now ex-wife Katie Holmes, not long after the two tied the knot in November 2006. Seven months before their nuptials, the pair announced the arrival of their daughter, Suri. However, Holmes filed for divorce six years later – she received primary custody of Suri, with Cruise awarded visitation rights.

Nestled in a secluded, gated lot, the impressive manor would have offered the young family plenty of privacy away from the limelight. Despite its hefty listing price, the mansion eventually sold for $38 million (£31.3m) according to local records, $12 million (£9.9m) less than the original figure asked.

In early 2021, Cruise decided to part ways with his longtime rural ranch in Telluride. The property hit the market for a cool $39.5 million (£32.6m) and within a month, it had secured a buyer.

Spanning an amazing 320 acres, the estate offered him privacy, seclusion and spectacular landscape views. The veteran actor bought the rural Colorado plot in the early 1990s and spent several years building a star-worthy estate.

The ultra-private home is surrounded by national forest land and lies close to Telluride’s sought-after ski slopes and golf courses. It also happens to be the setting of Cruise’s famous 2008 interview with Oprah Winfrey, and where he captured the very first images of his daughter Suri, so the property obviously holds a special place in the star’s heart. 

Inside, the 10,000-square-foot residence has vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling fireplaces and unforgettable alpine views. Built from bleached cedar timbers and native stone, the jaw-dropping mansion offers a total of four bedrooms. 

With wood pillars and exposed beam ceilings, the expansive lower level is home to a formal dining room, den and games room. Unsurprisingly, the pad is jam-packed full of luxury home features, including a fitness centre, a state-of-the-art security system, a snowmelt system, a wet bar and underfloor heating. 

In addition to the main house, there’s also a separate three-bedroom lodge, where Cruise no doubt hosted plenty of VIP guests over the years. We can certainly see why Cruise bought this pad, but we can’t understand how he could ever let it go…

In 2017, Cruise bought yet another property – this time in the city of Clearwater, Florida, the home of Scientology. In fact, the two-storey penthouse apartment, which Cruise has just finished renovating, is said to be only a few blocks away from the church’s international headquarters. 

The luxe apartment building, known as The SkyView, was built by one of the world’s richest Scientologists, the property developer Moises Agami. The 10-storey building offers 36 condos and Cruise occupies the top two floors, so the penthouse undoubtedly enjoys unrivalled views across the city.

The newly completed building is said to have plenty of lavish communal facilities too. As well as a stunning outdoor swimming pool, pool garden and alfresco kitchen, there’s also 24-hour security, a concierge service, movie theatre and car elevator, which will transport vehicles up to the ultra-secure parking garage.

The condo is also said to boast an exclusive cigar lounge known as The Vault, a flight simulator room, an office, a gym and a high-end fitness centre with unobstructed city views. 

While we can’t take a look inside yet, Architectural Digest reported that Cruise’s new home came complete with its own private pool, a rooftop deck, solarium, hot tub and bar.

However, one local alleged that Cruise had built around the rooftop amenities to maintain his privacy, and has added multiple motion detectors and cameras for security. 

Defined by sleek modern architecture and walls of glass, we’re sure the Top Gun star’s penthouse will be the perfect pad for him to enjoy the bachelor life. We don’t know about you, but we can’t wait to see what Tom Cruise buys next…

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