Why is ‘Tom Cruise dead’ trending?
A NASTY rumor about Hollywood legend Tom Cruise terrified fans as reports of his death circulated in March 2023.
Here's what we know about how the rumor started and if the actor is in any danger.
Why is 'Tom Cruise dead' trending?
A Facebook post began circulating in early March 2023, claiming the actor had passed away on March 8.
The post read: "At about 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday (March 08, 2023), our beloved actor Tom Cruise passed away.
"Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962 in Syracuse.
"He will be missed but not forgotten.
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""Please show your sympathy and condolences by commenting on and liking this page.”
The page, titled "RIP Tom Cruise", attracted over a million likes, with fans sharing an outpouring of grief.
On March 9, 2023, representatives of Cruise confirmed the actor is in fact, alive and well.
They said: “He joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimized by this hoax.
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"He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the internet.”
Cruise has been a victim of this hoax many times over the years.
What have Tom Cruise's fans said?
The Hollywood actor's fans initially shared their grief for the beloved star.
But of course the page was soon outed as a hoax as no major news sites were reporting something that would certainly make global headlines.
The social media page was swiftly taken down, but not before many shared their love for the star online.
When did the hoax start?
The hoax began around March 7, 2023, when a Facebook page was created in "memory" of the actor.
Cruise is in fact alive and well and hoping to nab an Oscar at the 2023 ceremony.
He has been nominated in the Best Picture category for his film Top Gun: Maverick.
It is the highest grossing film of his career, making over $1.4billion at the box office, outranking his sixth Mission Impossible movie, Fallout, which grossed $791.1m in 2018.
Cruise is up against Steven Spielberg in the Best Picture category.
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The actor and director appear to have brushed aside their years-long beef after Spielberg allegedly told Tom: "You saved Hollywood's ass, and, you might have saved theatrical distribution.
"Seriously. Maverick might have saved the entire theatrical industry."