People are only just realising Tom Cruise's birth name and heartbreak behind change

Film star Tom Cruise decided to shorten his name to distance himself from his traumatic childhood.

Describing his father both as a bully and a coward, the actor decided to abbreviated his name from Thomas Cruise Mapother IV after a difficult start to life. Growing up in a strict Catholic household, his dad Thomas Cruise Mapother III would abuse him before moving out aged 18 as he headed for New York.

He called his father a 'merchant of chaos' who would 'frequently intimidate and beat' Tom and his four sisters. It was the treatment that convinced him a fresh start was needed, and he shortened his name to symbolise breaking free from his unhappy childhood.

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Speaking to Parademagazine back in 2006, Tom said: "My father was the kind of person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. It was a great lesson in my life - how he'd lull you in, make you feel safe and then, bang! For me, it was like, 'There's something wrong with this guy. Don't trust him. Be careful around him'. There's that anxiety."

He was by his bedside as he died years later, and added: "When I saw him in pain, I thought, "Wow, what a lonely life,"' the Mission: Impossible star said. "He was in his late 40s. It was sad." The family grew up in near poverty, but riches were around the corner as he decided to move out as soon as he could.

It wasn't Tom's only challenge. Speaking in 2009, actor told Spanish magazineXL Semanal he was diagnosed with the learning disability when he was seven. "I asked myself if I was normal or an idiot," he said. "I would try to concentrate but I felt anxiety, frustration, boredom. When I graduated from high school in 1980 I was functionally illiterate. Nobody gave me a solution and I wanted to know why the system had failed."

The Top Gun star is said to share a special bond with his son Connor, who is based in a Scientology community in Clearwater, Florida, and spends a lot of time with his father, supporting him on promotional tours all around the world.

It's a far cry from his strained relationship with daughter Suri, who was spotted enjoying the New York sunshine earlier today. It's been reported that the Hollywood actor hasn't seen her since his split from actress Katie Holmes and their bitter custody battle in 2012.

It's claimed Tom's religion caused the breakdown of their marriage as Katie had fears about raising Suri as a Scientologist - and now father and daughter are said to be estranged. But Tom's other adopted kids, who are often forgotten, remain in the upper ranks of the Church of Scientology.

In contrast to what happened with Suri, the elder two turned their backs on mum Nicole Kidman but still have a close relationship with their father. Isabella and Connor Cruise were adopted by Tom and Nicole in 1992 and 1995 respectively - and the Hollywood power couple got joint custody when they divorced in 2001. However, the kids decided to stay in LA with their dad when their mum moved back to Australia.

Tom raised Bella and Connor in the Church of Scientology and they have both become high-ranking members of the controversial faith. "Connor and Isabella grew up in the church of Scientology, they've been members since they were kids,” a source told PEOPLE in 2019, adding that the siblings "are completely dedicated Scientologists just like Tom".

Due to her alleged excommunication status as an "SP" [Suppressive Person], the kids have kept their distance from their mother. Appearing on GMTV in 2007, Nicole revealed that her kids "don't even call me 'Mom'" and she hated that they referred to her by her first name.

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