Tom Cruise films: a. 1996: He played the role of a sports agent b. 1993: He plays the role of a new lawyer working for a corrupt company c. 1983: A normal kid throws a wild house-party while his parents are on vacation d. 1986: Cruise plays an up-an

These films represent key milestones in Tom Cruise's evolution from a rising talent to a global superstar. His 1996 role as a sports agent having a moral epiphany in *Jerry Maguire* became a cultural touchstone, earning him an Oscar nomination and giving us unforgettable lines like "Show me the money!" A few years prior, he starred in the 1993 legal thriller *The Firm*, based on the bestselling John Grisham novel. In it, he played the brilliant but naive lawyer Mitch McDeere, who uncovers the sinister, mob-run secrets of his new employer, proving Cruise's power as a dramatic lead.

The 1980s saw Cruise secure his place as a Hollywood icon. The 1983 film that truly launched him into the stratosphere was *Risky Business*, where he played a suburban teen whose parents' vacation leads to a wild and unforgettable house party. The movie's famous scene of him dancing to "Old Time Rock and Roll" remains one of cinema's most memorable moments. In 1986, he starred opposite a legend in *The Color of Money*, playing Vincent Lauria, an arrogant but talented young pool hustler. The film served as a sequel to *The Hustler*, with Paul Newman reprising his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson and winning his first and only Academy Award for Best Actor.