Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Rebecca Ferguson starred alongside and Tom Cruise, who is more than two decades her senior, in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation Chiabella James) (Paramount Pictures

As Tom Cruise turns 54 he's getting better with age. Now with 30 years in Hollywood, he's certainly become a sex symbol for a whole generation. The prolific actor, whose net worth is currently at $470m (£354.1m), has been one of Hollywood's biggest names since the 1980s, headlining action hits, science-fiction thrillers and memorable dramas.

Highlights on Cruise's lengthy resume include the entire Mission: Impossible franchise – now entering its sixth instalment – the new Jack Reacher franchise, Minority Report, War of The Worlds, Jerry Maguire, Edge of Tomorrow, The Last Samurai and, of course, Top Gun.

Cruise – who won his first award, a Golden Globe, in 1984 for Risky Business – his upcoming films including Mission: Impossible VI, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and the recently announced Top Gun 2. He's also starring in a reboot of The Mummy, as well as the Doug Liman-directed Mena.

The Mission: Impossible star may be a sex symbol in the movies, but he's been married three times, most recently divorcing Katie Holmes in 2012 after six years of marriage. He's also been married to Nicole Kidman and Mimi Rogers.

Last July, Cruise was reportedly dating his 22-year-old personal assistant, Emily Thomas. The pair got together after Thomas started working with the actor on the film Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. A source told Star magazine: "Tom has fallen head over heels for Emily, and she feels the same way. There's even buzz in his inner circle that he might propose!"

The Source continued, "No one has seen Tom this happy with a woman since his early years with Katie. His Chemistry, with Emily is off the charts!"

Happy Birthday, Tom Cruise!