For those within his close Hollywood circle, superstar Tom Cruise is known by a simple, two-letter moniker that has been revealed by his Top Gun: Maverick co-star and friend, Glen Powell.
Powell, who played the cocky pilot Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin opposite Cruise’s Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the 2022 blockbuster, stated that the casual nickname for the Hollywood legend is simply “TC.”
The Nickname: “TC”
Powell expressed genuine surprise that the public didn’t widely know the nickname, confirming it’s a common identifier for the star:
“Everybody in his life calls him that,” Powell told IndieWire. “He’s TC… I’ll call him Cruise, TC. But yeah, TC is how most people refer to him.”
A Mentorship Beyond the Set
The relationship between the two actors has extended far beyond the production of the film, showcasing Cruise’s reputation as a dedicated mentor:
- Support for The Running Man: Cruise recently showed his support for Powell’s latest film, the Edgar Wright-directed adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man, by joining Powell at a screening. The Running Man remake, which also stars Lee Pace and Michael Cera, is set for release on November 14, 2025.
- The Famous Cake: Powell is among the recipients of Cruise’s legendary annual holiday gift: the famous White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake from Doan’s Bakery in California. This cake has achieved near-mythic status in Hollywood, with fellow star Tom Hanks famously naming it as one of the foods he would choose for his “last meal.”
- A Rare Mentor: Powell highlighted Cruise’s rare dedication to those around him, saying that most Hollywood stars “don’t send the elevator back down and take care of people, for the most part. He’s just a very rare type of person who really just wants everybody around him to win.”
Data Point: The Success They Shared
Their friendship was cemented during the production and colossal success of Top Gun: Maverick, a film that redefined the post-pandemic box office. The sequel, which saw Cruise reprise his iconic role from the 1986 original, earned a staggering $1.496 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of Cruise’s career.