Dakota Fanning recently shared a heartwarming tradition involving her former co-star, Tom Cruise. For nearly two decades, Cruise has been sending Fanning a special birthday gift each year.
During a recent appearance on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’, the now 30-year-old actress revealed that Cruise has been gifting her a pair of shoes every birthday since she turned 12. The pair met on the set of ‘War of the Worlds’ in 2005, where Fanning played Cruise’s on-screen daughter.
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Fanning recounted to host Kelly Clarkson how Cruise initially gifted her something memorable when she was just 11. “Tom gave me my first cell phone,” she recalled with a smile. “It was none other than a Motorola Razr.” This gesture marked the beginning of their annual gift exchange.
Since then, Cruise has consistently sent Fanning a pair of shoes for her birthday. “I used to love shoes,” Fanning explained. “When I was on the ‘War of the Worlds’ press tour, I was able to fit into really small adult shoes, so I was really excited about them. So, he has sent me shoes every birthday since that one.”
Despite the passage of time and Fanning’s expectation that the tradition might end when she reached milestones like 18 or 21, Cruise has maintained this thoughtful gesture. “I thought the tradition might stop, but it didn’t,” Fanning shared. “Tom likes to check in on me every year, and it’s something I really appreciate.”
Tom Cruise is well-known for his generous gift-giving habits. According to sources, the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star sends his friends and former co-stars a $126 white chocolate coconut bundt cake from Doan’s Bakery in Woodland Hills, California, every Christmas.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, ‘War of the Worlds’ featured Cruise and Fanning as a father-daughter duo. Released in June 2005, the film was a global box office success and became the fourth highest-grossing film of the year.
-Gayathri J