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On Sunday, Tom Cruise shared a joyful reunion with Elle Fanning at the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards held in Los Angeles. Their paths first crossed when Cruise starred in “War of the Worlds” alongside Elle’s sister, Dakota.
The 63-year-old Hollywood icon headed straight for the 27-year-old actress at the Universal Hilton, greeting her with a warm embrace and a kiss.
They captured the moment with a photo, where Tom beamed widely and pointed to Elle, who was elegantly dressed in a white blazer paired with a black bra.
Elle, who is in the running for her first Oscar this month, took home the Best Actress in a Film award at the Saturn Awards for her role in the 2025 sci-fi flick “Predator: Badlands.”
Meanwhile, Tom was present to honor Christopher McQuarrie, the director of the last four “Mission: Impossible” movies, with the Visionary Award.
Tom and Elle’s reunion comes two decades after they first crossed paths, when her older sister Dakota, 32, starred as his onscreen daughter in 2005 sci-fi action War of the Worlds.
Tom Cruise looked delighted on Sunday as he reunited with Elle Fanning at the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards in Los Angeles , after meeting the star as a child when he starred opposite her sister in War of the Worlds
The Hollywood star, 63, made a beeline for the actress, 27, at the Universal Hilton, wrapping her in a big hug and giving her a kiss
The pair then posed together for a photo, with Tom flashing a megawatt smile and proudly pointing at Elle, who looked chic in a white blazer and black bra
Elle was just six-years-old at the time and frequently hung out on set with her sister, making crayon drawings for Tom.
She previously recalled her first meeting with the film star, saying: ‘I remember my photo [I gave him] was of one of the War of the Worlds things – it was my sister and him running away.Â
‘It was a crayon picture. That’s my memory of meeting him. And he said he remembered. It seems like he does!’
While playing a father and daughter attempting to survive an alien invasion in the Steven Spielberg-helmed thriller, Tom and Dakota formed a tight bond, with the actor even gifting the child star her first ever mobile phone for her 11th birthday.
And he has continued to send the Uptown Girls star a birthday present every year ever since – always a pair of ‘really nice’ shoes, for a very sweet reason.
in 2024, Dakota explained: ‘He always sends me the same thing every year, after the cellphone. I loved shoes when I was little, and I started to be able to fit into really small adult shoes when I was on the War of the Worlds press tour so I was very excited about them. And so from that birthday on he always sends me shoes.’Â
‘It’s really kind,’ she gushed during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. ‘And I always think, “Oh, when I’m 18 he’ll probably stop, or 21, he’ll stop.” And he… every year. It’s really kind.’
And Tom’s close friendship with the Ripley star has extended to her sister Elle, with him frequently showing his support for the younger Fanning actress too.
Elle – who is up for her first Oscar this month – landed the Best Actress in a Film gong during the Saturn Awards for her performance in the 2025 sci-fi film Predator: Badlands
While Tom was on hand to present the Visionary Award to Mission: Impossible series director Christopher McQuarrie, who helmed the last four films in the legendary franchise
Tom and Elle’s reunion comes two decades after they first crossed paths, when her older sister Dakota, 32, starred as his onscreen daughter in 2005 sci-fi action War of the Worlds (seen in 2005)
And Tom’s close friendship with the Ripley star has extended to her sister Elle, with him frequently showing his support for the younger Fanning actress too
He attended the premiere of her film Super 8 back in 2011, where he warmly greeted her on the red carpet and praised her talents.
The Jerry Maguire star told Hollywire he was ‘so proud’ of Elle’s success, adding: ‘Her and her sister are enormously talented.’
Asked what advice he would give the young star, Tom insisted: ‘She already knows! She’s enormously talented, just do what she does be talented and have fun’.
While in December 2024, he paid Elle and her A Complete Unknown co-star Timothee Chalamet a surprise visit at a London screening of the Bob Dylan biopic.
And he even took a moment to make a heart-warming shout-out to her while making a speech ahead of the Top Gun: Maverick premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.
A teary-eyed Elle watched on from the audience as Tom received a Palme d’Or award, and after spotted her in the glitzy crowd at the Palais des Festivals, he gave her a rare personal tribute.
Reflecting on her and Dakota’s incredible growth from child stars to award-winning Hollywood stars, he praised the sisters’ ‘contribution to cinema’.
‘I’ve seen Elle Fanning here, whom I’ve known since she was a little girl,’ he began, before addressing her: ‘You are a very talented actress, and it’s wonderful to see you here and see your sister.’
Reminiscing on Elle’s impressive talents and ambition even at a young age, Tom recalled: “[Elle’s] going, “I’m an actress,” and I said, “I know you are.”
He attended the premiere of her film Super 8 back in 2011 (pictured) where he warmly greeted her on the red carpet and praised her as ‘enormously talented
While in December 2024, he paid Elle and her A Complete Unknown co-star Timothee Chalamet a surprise visit at a London screening of the Bob Dylan biopic (seen)Â
‘I was working with Dakota, who’s a genius, and I was there with Elle, so I said, “What are you gonna do?” She was like, “I’m an actress, too.” I was like, “Yes, you are”.’
‘It’s so beautiful to see the generations and all of these actors and your contribution to cinema. So, thank you.
Elle later admitted she ‘was freaking out’ and ‘sort of crying/blushing’ during the touching moment, telling PEOPLE: ‘I was waking up pinching myself. Did that really happen last night? Was I dreaming?’
She explained how Tom had ‘made it a point to kind of stay in [Dakota’s] life’ after wrapping up War of the Worlds, ‘which was so kind’.
‘And he sends her a birthday gift every single year still,’ Elle added. ‘We get the coconut cake that he sends, which I know Kirsten Dunst said she gets one, as well, from working with him in Interview with the Vampire.”
‘I think it just shows how even the younger actors — he wants to be out there and inspire young actors to keep going’.