Hollywood is a weird place. One minute you’re sharing parenting tips and doing high-speed driving stunts together, and the next, you haven't spoken in a decade. That’s basically the deal with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx.
Back in 2004, these two were the blueprint for an A-list friendship. They weren't just "co-stars" in the Michael Mann thriller Collateral; they were genuine bros. Foxx used to tell anyone who would listen that Cruise was the most "genuine and cool guy" in the industry. He even joked that Cruise brought the "hot" to the red carpet. They did playdates with their kids. They hung out at football games. It was a whole thing.
But then, everything changed. And honestly, it wasn't because of a movie role or a bad box office opening. It was because of Katie Holmes.
The Collateral Bond That Broke
If you haven't seen Collateral lately, go watch it. It’s a masterpiece. Cruise plays Vincent, a silver-haired hitman, and Foxx plays Max, a cab driver stuck in a nightmare. To prepare, Cruise actually went undercover as a UPS delivery man in a crowded mall just to see if he could blend in without being spotted. He passed.
Foxx, for his part, spent weeks driving real cabs around Los Angeles. During filming, they were inseparable. They developed this shorthand that only people working 18-hour night shifts in a cramped taxi can understand.
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There was a real respect there. Foxx once recalled how Cruise helped him navigate the madness of Oscar season when Ray was blowing up. Cruise wasn't just a mentor; he was a friend. But in the world of high-stakes celebrity, "friend" is a complicated word.
When Katie Holmes Entered the Frame
The timeline here is what usually gets people fired up. Cruise and Holmes—the infamous "TomKat"—split in 2012. It was a massive, sudden divorce that reportedly caught Cruise totally off guard.
Fast forward about a year. Rumors started swirling that Holmes was seeing someone new. That someone? Jamie Foxx.
They were spotted dancing together at a benefit in the Hamptons in 2013. For years, they denied everything. They played this cat-and-mouse game with the paparazzi, hiding in cars and avoiding red carpets. There was even a wild rumor—though never officially confirmed—that Katie’s divorce settlement included a "no-dating-publicly" clause for five years.
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Whether the contract was real or not, the optics were brutal for Cruise. Seeing one of his closest industry friends start a secret, six-year relationship with his ex-wife felt like the ultimate betrayal.
The Long Silence and the "Christmas Cake" List
People often ask if they ever made up. It’s 2026, and the short answer is: no.
Even after Jamie and Katie split in 2019, the damage was done. Cruise is known for his "Christmas Cake" list—a tradition where he sends a specific $126 white chocolate coconut bundt cake from Doan’s Bakery to his inner circle. For years, insiders have noted that Foxx is firmly off that list.
The 2023 Health Scare
When Jamie Foxx suffered a massive medical emergency in 2023—which he later revealed in his Netflix special What Had Happened Was was a brain bleed and a stroke—the world waited to see if Cruise would reach out.
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Reports from early 2025 suggest that while Cruise "wished him well" in a general sense, he had no interest in rekindling the friendship. Cruise has a long memory. For him, the secrecy of the Holmes-Foxx relationship wasn't just about dating; it was about the "bro code" being shredded into confetti.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Feud
A lot of fans think this is some high-drama, shouting-match type of rivalry. It isn't. It's colder than that. It’s the kind of Hollywood frost where two people simply cease to exist to one another.
- The "Betrayal" Timing: Cruise reportedly felt the relationship started much earlier than 2013.
- The Professional Gap: They haven't been in the same room publicly for over a decade.
- The Silent Treatment: Neither actor "trash talks" the other in interviews. They just skip the question.
Foxx has moved on, focusing on his recovery and his stand-up roots. Cruise is still busy jumping out of planes and saving the theatrical experience. They are two titans of the industry moving in completely different orbits now.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Movie Buffs
If you’re looking to understand the legacy of this duo beyond the tabloid headlines, here is what you should actually do:
- Watch the Collateral Behind-the-Scenes: Search for the "UPS Delivery" rehearsal footage. It shows the raw chemistry and mutual respect they had before the personal drama took over.
- Look at the 2025 Health Updates: Jamie’s Netflix special is the most honest he’s ever been about his near-death experience. It puts the "celebrity feud" into perspective—life is short, even if some bridges stay burned.
- Appreciate the Craft, Ignore the Noise: It is possible to love Tom Cruise’s work ethic and Jamie Foxx’s versatility without picking a side in a divorce that happened over a decade ago.
The story of Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx is a reminder that in Hollywood, your best friend today can become a stranger tomorrow. Sometimes, a movie is just a movie, and a friendship is just a season.