When you're gone, what will you be remembered for? If you're Tom Cruise, it's most likely to be Top Gun, one of the great action films of modern times, and easily his star-making role. While his ascent was steady, with films like Risky Business, All the Right Moves and Legend, he shot into superstardom as Maverick, the pilot who was so good he didn't need to follow the rules.

Interestingly enough, Legend was directed by Ridley Scott, brother of Top Gun helmer Tony Scott, and of course Cruise would work again with Tony on Days of Thunder, where Cruise got a chance to write for the first (and only) time. The collaboration marks the only time until now that Cruise had worked with the same director twice (why is that??)--perhaps he's found another great collaborator in Cameron Crowe, who is directing Vanilla Sky, due out soon.