tom cruise can sing

Rock of Ages first listen: Can Tom Cruise actually sing?

Critics get a taste of the actor's take on Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" in the upcoming rock musical — and they aren't so sweet on it

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The audio: Tom Cruise is, apparently, "hot sticky sweet." But can he sing? Ever since the Mission: Impossible star was cast in the upcoming musical Rock of Ages , based on the jukebox Broadway show of the same name, critics wondered whether he had the vocal chops to pull off the role. In the film, out June 15, Cruise plays Stacee Jaxx, a bare-chested, chaps-wearing rocker in the mold of Poison's Bret Michaels, who is tasked with belting out rock and roll classics like "Paradise City" and "Wanted Dead or Alive." The first audio clip of the actor singing the Def Leppard track "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was released Tuesday. (Listen to it below.) Cruise claims that the hair band already gave his performance its stamp of approval .

The reaction: Cruise may look the part of the long-haired, tatted-up rocker in the preview images we've seen, says Mary Ouellette at Loudwire , but his vocals are too Broadway. He lacks Def Leppard's "imperfections and reckless abandon," and sounds "more like he's singing a showtune than a rock anthem." What vocals? says Billy Dukes at Ultimate Classic Rock . He's drowned out by the ramped-up background production. While Cruise's version will bring the classic track to a new audience, "it fails to separate itself form the original in any remarkable way." He sounds fine, says Katey Rich at Cinema Blend . Cruise "always seemed like one of those people who can do just about everything well." The true test, though, will be whether he can pull off those crazy '80s dance moves. Listen to Cruise's "Sugar" rendition:

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TV & Film

When Tom Cruise sang on live TV and he was amazing

5 August 2022, 15:47

By Tom Eames

Tom Cruise is one of the world's greatest film stars, and it turns out he's a fantastic live performer too.

In 2015, the Top Gun: Maverick actor appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in the States, and shocked the audience with his impressive command of the stage.

• Simon Cowell finally sang on the Got Talent stage and he was incredible
• Tom Cruise fought for 'wingman' Val Kilmer to star in Top Gun sequel after his battle with cancer

OK, he wasn't actually singing, but rather taking part in the Lip Sync Battle segment of the show, miming along with The Weeknd's 'Can't Feel My Face', but he was particularly great at it.

Watch the clip below:

Tom Cruise, Jimmy Fallon do lip sync battle | 'Can’t Feel My Face' & 'That Lovin Feelin'

Tom impressed the audience and Jimmy with his performance, which he followed up by lip-syncing to Meat Loaf 's 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light'.

Even The Weeknd himself was amazed, tweeting about the show afterwards:

can't believe @TomCruise is singing my song. @jimmyfallon *** you're the MAN for this one. #tomcruisetomcruise ||| https://t.co/xVFZSkYCCx — The Weeknd (@theweeknd) July 28, 2015

But it's not like Tom can't sing at all. He's belted out the likes of 'Great Balls of Fire' in Top Gun , 'Free Fallin'' in Jerry Maguire and 'Addicted to Love' in Cocktail .

And of course, in 2012, he starred as stadium rock legend Stacy Jaxx in the musical Rock of Ages , where he convincingly performed various '80s anthems like 'Wanted Dead or Alive' and 'Pour Some Sugar on Me'.

Tom Cruise has just experienced the most successful film of his career, with Top Gun: Maverick grossing over $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office.

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Tom Cruise: Surprisingly Good Singer

Exclusive: The “Rock of Ages” director talks about his leading man’s vocal chops and the latest addition to the cast, Paul Giamatti

Yes, Tom Cruise really can sing.

That’s the word from “Rock of Ages” director Adam Shankman, who admits that even he wondered whether the actor had the vocal chops for the lead role in New Line’s musical.

"He's been studying with — seriously — Axl Rose's voice teacher like five hours a day," Shankman told TheWrap Thursday. "The prognosis is more than excellent."

The director said that he heard Cruise sing at the actor's house.

"That was a big moment," he said. "That voice lesson where he opened up and suddenly let loose and was really great. The two of us in concert breathed a collective sigh of relief to the tune of dancing around his living room."

They even high-fived, the director said.

Shankman also talked about the latest addition to the growing cast — Paul Giamatti — another actor not necessarily known for his singing ability.

Giamatti will play a manager "who basically ends up representing the corporatization of music and sort of the death of art," Shankman said. "He decided it sounded really fun to play … a sleazy Hollywood agent-type in the '80s and sing."

The director said that he understands many audience members are curious about whether the actors will be able to sing.

"All these people will want to see all these giant stars singing karaoke with great big hair and makeup," he said.

And he said Giamatti ( below, right ) will be very funny.

"I think we have much funny in store."

The cast also includes Mary J. Blige, Julianne Hough, Alec Baldwin and Mexican singer and actor Diego Boneta. Russell Brand is in final negotiations for the film, as well.

"Rock of Ages" is a major project — an adaptation of the Broadway hit.

The movie is a love story told through the music of Pat Benetar, Bon Jovi, Journey, Poison, Twisted Sister and other artists from the 1980s. Cruise plays the rocker Stacee Jaxx, and will sing the Bon Jovi anthem "Dead or Alive."

Chris D'Arienzo, Michael Arndt and Alan Loeb are writing the adaptation and Jennifer Gibgot, Carl Levin, Tobey Maguire, Scott Prisand and Matt Weaver are producing.

The movie has a release date of June 1, 2012.

Giamatti is repped by UTA.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then   View saved stories .

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Tom Cruise & Doug Liman Answer the Web's Most Searched Questions

Released on 09/26/2017

Hi I'm Tom Cruise.

And I'm Doug Liman

and we're doing a WIRED Autocomplete Interview.

(upbeat dance music)

(laughing) Let's go.

You guy's ready?

So can Tom Cruise really sing?

Uh, well, yeah.

I mean, I did all my singing in Rock of Ages.

So, yes, I sing.

I've seen him do it.

Can Tom Cruise rock climb?

Yes, I trained for

a long time.

Many years actually with rock climbing.

Can Tom Cruise play guitar?

I love playing guitar and the uke.

I definitely need more practice,

but I enjoy playing guitar.

Can Tom Cruise fly a plane.

(laughing) Yes.

Yes, I fly airplanes.

I'm a multi-engine,

instrument rated, commercial pilot.

Doug and I are both aviators, so we both love to fly.

Can Tom Cruise hold his breath for six minutes?

Yes, I can hold my breath for six minutes.

You were there when I was doing it.

You were in the tank in Leavesdon, in London.

You'd swim back and forth in the bottom of the tank,

like four or five laps.

And I'd be up on the surface, with goggles, watching him.

I wasn't even working on the movie.

I just wanted to watch Tom Cruise

hold his breath for six minutes.

Can Tom Cruise fly a helicopter?

Yes, again, I fly helicopter.

I fly aerobatics and that

and a commercially rated helicopter pilot also.

I was in a helicopter with you

the first time you Yeah.

[Doug] were really learning to fly a helicopter.

Yeah when I was training.

Yeah, you've come a long way since then.

Yes, I have been trained very hard.

Why are pilot's seats furry?

Mine aren't.

Maybe, I don't know, you sit for a long time

and you get sweaty,

but Tom Cruise of course does not sweat.

This one's really long.

Why do pilots usually fly in the stratosphere?

Well aerobatic pilots don't necessarily fly up there.

Yeah, no, the american made flying was low.

You were always a few feet over the tree tops

or a few feet over the water.

Sometimes actually going through the trees.

Why are pilots called pilots?

Uh, you got all the questions that make you seem smart.

I'm getting these questions like stratosphere.

Nautical term.

Okay, I'll go for that.

Why pilots can't be colorblind.

Geesh, like seriously, this thing is rigged.

That's just Naval, Air Force military pilots, I think.

Well there's one thing, you lose all radio communication.

They have to flash a light gun from the control tower

and green means land and red means don't land.

So, maybe there.

Why do pilots say niner?

I can anwer this one.

Cuz over the radio it can be hard to understand.

You say niner intsead of nine, so that it wouldn't

be confused with a different number.

And what number would that be confused with?

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.

Why don't we say eighter or oner, twoer.

I actually think I was right and I was sounding smart

until you challenged me there.

Why is Tom Cruise always running?

I'm usually in a big hurry to get places.

Lots to do in a day.

Why is Tom Cruise always named Jack?

Because it's easy for me to remember

and for others to remember the name Jack.

So it makes it easier for the crew and the director.

Why did Tom Cruise become an actor?

I just love movies and I wanted to make movies.

I remember as a kid I used to create characters

and write skits.

And I always did outrageous, physical stunts also.

I can only imagine

what it would've liked to been your mother.

I mean just look at the window while your doing the dishes

and there's your seven year old son, like, trying a stunt.

And breaking arm or a leg cuz you were injuring yourself

all the time.

My mother most definitely had incredible patience.

Did Tom Cruise really hang off the plane?

Yes, I did hang off the A400 .

I remember the second take actually

when we went through and I got hit with just a little,

little rock.

I mean it must've been about that big

and I honestly was like getting hit by a bullet.

But the thing I was most concerned about was the fuel.

You know the fumes from that

and the air that was hitting me.

Particularly, when we were taxing on the runway

because it had nowhere else to go.

It was quite an adventure.

Don't necessarily recommend it for everyone.

You know, it was interesting.

Are action movies realistic?

Yeah, I think they are.

I mean that's really the challenge of making

a great action film.

Is to find the honesty in it.

Are action movies good for a date?

Yeah, they're great for a date.

Are action movies scary?

I think that's that visceral ride you get.

You know, in an action movie.

It's probably why Tom and I probably love

making action movies.

Yeah, when you really hit it,

you can turn it into comedy.

You can twist it into interesting drama.

How action movies are made?

How are they made?

Action isn't anything unless you really have the story,

and the investment, and character.

And the thing that I love about Doug Liman

and his movies is the interest.

First and foremost in character.

And when you have Tom Cruise in your movie,

you're gonna know you're gonna to get something incredible.

And it's gonna be real.

That's wher we try.

We just want to entertain you.

That really is the purpose, so we hope you enjoy it.

Starring : Tom Cruise, Doug Liman

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Guitar Hero: Tom Cruise

Rock of Ages star Tom Cruise is strumming his way to the hall of fame.

It’s a Thursday afternoon in a studio in Los Angeles, and Tom Cruise, dressed in jeans and an untucked white button-down shirt, is ­belting out “Paradise City.” He’s performing the Guns N’ Roses song—which he sings during the opening credits of his new movie, Rock of Ages —in character, as Stacee Jaxx, a fading rock god from the eighties. Sitting in front of the glass-enclosed recording booth are Cruise’s music advisers, including Ron Anderson, formerly a vocal coach for Axl Rose, whose trademark screech Cruise has perfected. When Cruise started this project more than a year ago, he didn’t know whether he could really sing. “Adam Shankman, the director, asked me if I could carry a tune,” Cruise tells me later. “I said, ‘We’ll see, won’t we? This is either going to work or it’s going to be dreadful.’ ”

Throughout his career, Cruise has assessed roles by their degree of difficulty. He loves a challenge—especially if it involves mastering some new skill. Cruise has tossed bottles ( Cocktail ), flown fighter jets (Top Gun), hustled pool ( The Color of Money ), learned to live life as a Nazi with one arm and an eye patch ( Valkyrie ), raced cars ( Days of Thunder ), and, most recently, rappelled down the face of the tallest building in the world ( Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol ). He always works from the outside in: Even in his serious, Academy Award–nominated roles for Born on the Fourth of July (in which he was wheelchair-bound) and Magnolia (where he played a sex guru), his way into a character is through the physical. With Stacee Jaxx, he began with the mundane rock-star requirements—honing his newly discovered four-octave range and learning to play the guitar—but the physical soon gave way to the emotional. While everyone else in Rock of Ages is either ridiculous or playing their part with a wink (Alec Baldwin in a wig!), Cruise seems to actually be living in Stacee’s leather pants. He is alone inside another, much more interesting movie; there is a melancholic undertow to Stacee Jaxx—he’s only truly alive when he’s onstage, and he knows that his time there is nearly over.

Cruise’s personal sense of character complication may have something to do with timing: Though the actor looks easily 15 years younger, he will be 50 in July. When he signed on to Rock of Ages , he was at a career crossroads—the rambling, not-fun Knight and Day , a big action movie, had not scored at the box office, and negative rumors had plagued MI4. True to his nature, Cruise concentrated on the work—specifically, the jump off the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai. “I look at cities and architecture and I’m always thinking, I want to jump off that building,” Cruise says. “I’m inspired by Harold Lloyd or Buster Keaton or Charlie ­Chaplin. I think, We’re going to get this on camera, and it’s going to be in IMAX—that will be something for an audience.”

The jump worked: Last Christmas, MI4 was an enormous hit, making $693 million and putting Cruise back on top. “We were finishing Mission,” he recalls. “I’d go down the front of the building and then get on the phone with Adam Shankman and say, ‘What’s the voice of Stacee Jaxx?’ This movie was, for me, like training for anything: You have to learn how to use your muscles. And then you start thinking, What story do I want to tell?”

When W photographed Cruise in the penthouse of the Raleigh ­Hotel in Miami Beach several months before our meeting in Los Angeles, he was completely immersed in Stacee’s story. Rock of Ages was filming in Miami, and Cruise was sporting long hair extensions and tattoos. Playing the character took some courage: If he didn’t approach the role with sincerity and intensity, Cruise could easily look like a joke. “Stacee Jaxx had to be real,” he said during the shoot. “I didn’t want to imitate all these other rock stars. He had to be unique. If the audience doesn’t immediately buy into his absolute greatness, there’s no movie journey. Without that, you have nothing.”

Back in the studio, Cruise lets out a pitch-perfect scream. “My throat is gone,” he says, sounding hoarse. “That’s all I’ve got.” Cruise says his goodbyes to the Rock of Ages crew and leaves the room. I follow him into another recording studio to talk. “After four hours of singing,” Cruise begins, “I sound like Donald Duck. No more rock star.”

As a kid, did you sing around the house? You know what? I did the scene from Risky Business around the house. I would sing Bob Seger—my mother worked, my sisters were out, and I’d turn the music up. I learned how to dance watching Soul Train . I noticed that if a guy could dance, he’d get a lot of attention and girls would want to dance with him. I worked very hard at imitating those moves.

Were you ever in a school musical? In my senior year I was in Guys and Dolls . I was Nathan Detroit—the Sinatra part. I wish I’d had Ron Anderson back then. He would have made a big difference.

Why did you want to do a musical now? Kate [Holmes, Cruise’s wife] loves musicals. She sings and dances, and we kind of went through the history of musicals together. And Suri loved Hairspray . With kids, you watch everything over and over; I watched Hairspray 15 times with Suri. I thought Adam Shankman did a great job directing the movie, so I arranged to meet him and said, “Where’s our musical?” He came back and said, “ Rock of Ages .” We went and saw it in L.A., and for me…I didn’t know how to play the character like that. I had to find my own Stacee Jaxx.

You began training. I needed to find out if I could really sing! Ron came in and worked with me. And then I had to learn how to play guitar. I’m very good at air guitar—and air drums—but I had never played an actual guitar. After working for weeks on Stacee’s technical skills, I was thinking about the character, and I said, “You know what? I need a monkey.” Adam said, “What the fuck are you talking about?” And I said, “I’m serious—I need a monkey” [ laughs ]. When Stacee’s not onstage, he’s kind of sad. And I thought, This guy has to have a monkey that’s his best friend. Adam found this baboon. He sent me the baboon’s audition tape, and I said, “The baboon’s name has to be Hey Man” [ laughs ]. Stacee Jaxx doesn’t work without Hey Man.

There are a lot of sexy scenes in this movie: At one point you’re climbing a stripper pole; in another scene, you’re grinding up against a ­ Rolling Stone reporter, played by Malin Akerman. I knew we had to push the sexuality because of the nature of the character and the songs. He’s singing, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Adam has a sweetness with this stuff, so you can push things pretty hard. With Malin, I thought of Susan Sarandon in The Rocky Horror Picture Show —incredibly sexy and very sweet.

It’s hard to get that balance. When you read a lot of rock biographies, you find that when these musicians are doing their work and it’s going well, that’s when they’re really alive. It’s all the other stuff—the noise and complications—that gets them into devilish behavior. Stacee is kind of floating until he comes onstage. That’s where he’s at home. Everything else is kind of a mess.

Was your goal to show something intimate? Yes. It’s a little uncomfortable at times. But funny. Uncomfortable and funny: That was the goal.

Cruise wears Rita Ryack leather pants. Accessories and jewelry styled by costume designer Rita Ryack.

Models, from left: True Religion black leather shorts. Michael Spirito cuff; Alexis Bittar rings; Burberry belt; models own nipple ring. Emilio Pucci black and white Lycra swimsuit. Eddie Borgo cone bracelet, Tom Ford cuff (from left); Sequin ring. Cruise wears Rita Ryack snakeskin pants. Accessories and jewelry styled by costume designer Rita Ryack.

Beauty note: Pump up any hairstyle with a flash of Borghese Milan Volumizing Mousse.

Models, from left: 3.1 Phillip Lim silk blazer. Hervé Léger by Max Azria polyester bathing suit. Sequin ring. Eddie Borgo black rings; Assad Mounser dangling earring; LaCrasia Gloves gloves; model’s own cross and stud earrings. Cruise wears Rita Ryack leather pants. Accessories and jewelry all styled by costume designer Rita Ryack.

Cruise: Hair by Michael White; makeup and tattoo design: Michele Burke. Models: Hair by Recine; makeup by Aaron de Mey at Art Partner; manicures by Champagne Satayakul. Models: Abbey Lee Kershaw at Next; Edita Vilkeviciute at DNA New York.

Fashion on models, from left: Versace cotton raffia top. Hervé Léger by Max Azria polyester-blend swimwear bottoms. Eddie Borgo earrings and choker; Michael Schmidt Swarovski Elements spiked cuff, Chrome Hearts 22k gold and diamond bracelet (from left); Chanel gloves; Double Happiness Jewelry 14k gold and tourmaline ring. 3.1 Phillip Lim silk-blend bralette. Salvatore Ferragamo beaded silk jacket. Barbara Bui cotton shorts. Venus by Maria Tash nose ring; Assad Mounser earring; Michael Schmidt mesh bracelet; Solange Azagury-Partridge 18k blackened-white-gold and diamond ring; her own earrings. Cruise wears Rita Ryack leather pants. Accessories and jewelry styled by costume designer Rita Ryack.

Beauty: On Cruise: Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner in Smoke. On models, from left: Smashbox High Definition foundation in Light L3; Photo Op Eye Shadow Trio in Screenshot; Lash DNA mascara in Jet Black; Blush Rush in Gingersnap; Limitless Lip Stain in Guava. Studio Skin foundation in 2.3; Smokebox Palette; Hyperlash Mascara in Blackout; Blush Rush in Paradise; Lip Enhancing Gloss in Tease.

Cruise: Hair by Michael White; makeup and tattoo design: Michele Burke. Models: Hair by Recine; makeup by Aaron de Mey at Art Partner; manicures by Champagne Satayakul. Models: Abbey Lee Kershaw at Next; Edita Vilkeviciute at DNA New York. Production by Select Services. Special thanks to the Raleigh Hotel. Digital technician: Xanny Handfield. Photography assistants: Lars Beaulieu, Johnny Vicari, Javier Villegas. Fashion assistants: Katy Younger-Hadwiger, Megan Kelley.

Can Tom Cruise Sing?

As an actor, Tom Cruise excels at his craft most times. He has performed some impossible stunts in movies to the delight of his fans. It seems like he is a man of diverse skills but can Tom Cruise sing? He just might be able to do anything you can think of. Thus, it is not far-fetched to wonder if the movie star can also sing.

Yes, Tom Cruise can sing. He may not be able to hit high notes like Maria Carey , or belt low notes like Leonard Cohen , but he can definitely make sweet sounds with his voice. Isn’t that what singing is all about? Find out more about Tom Cruise singing in this article.  

Tom Cruise Knows His Vocals

In the hit broadway musical film, Rock of Ages , Tom Cruise thrilled his fans by playing the fictional character, Stacee Jaxx . The role required him to sing and not just perform and lip-sync on stage. He actually pulled off the part vocally and performance-wise. After watching the movie, many fans concluded that there could never have been a better choice for Stacee Jaxx than Tom. He sang some vocally challenging songs like Don’t Stop Believin and classics like Paradise City and Wanted Dead or Alive . It was definitely not an easy task and took some work.

Before the movie, the closest Tom had come to featuring in a musical was in high school. He played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls , and according to Tom , he wished he had Ron Anderson back then. Tom was not sure about his singing initially and was not willing to take up the role except he knew for sure that he could sing. He consulted Adam Anders, who listened to him sing privately and cleared him to take the role. According to Anders , Tom was not a professional singer but had a good voice. In his words , “He had this voice that blew me away. It was the most powerful voice I had ever heard. So loud. He could do anything and go as high as we wanted. It was like a kid discovering he had a new toy. I left there super-pumped knowing that not only could we make him pass as a singer in the movie, but we would blow people away with what he could do.”

As a perfectionist, Tom knew he needed professional assistance to nail the role perfectly. Thus, he listened to Anders. Also, according to the film director, Adam Shankman , he studied his vocals for the movie. Anders also stated that Tom worked really hard on his vocals, and by the end of the film, he was phenomenal. He didn’t sound like Jon Bovi or Sia , but he definitely brought his own flavour, and according to Anders , he made the performance remarkable. 

How Tall Is Tom Cruise? Exact Height Revealed

What is tom cruise’s daily routine, where does tom cruise live, what people think of tom’s singing.

First of all, Tom believes he can sing. He said so himself in a Wired Interview. 

However, other people have opinions about his singing. Playing the rockstar in Rock of Ages sparked a lot of comments by fans and critics. While some people believe Tom Cruise got the part right, others found fault with his performance. 

According to Mary Ouellette at Loudwire , his vocals are too Broadway and lacks the imperfections and reckless abandon of Deff Lampard. he doesn’t really impress her with the rock song as she says he sounds “ more like he’s singing a show tune than a rock anthem.”

Katey Rich of Cinema Blendi s of the opinion that he pulled it off and sounds fine.  

Although Tom had all the assistance he needed to do this, it could only be possible if he could sing. According to Anders , “ You have to have the voice to begin with otherwise there’s nothing I can do.”  

Well, Tom’s performance in the movie was great. His singing was good as we did not have to close our ears. It was just as melodious as it could be.

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Rock of Ages Director Adam Shankman on Tom Cruise Singing and Naming the Wigs

As the director of the hair-band rock musical Rock of Ages , Adam Shankman has several story lines to juggle: There’s the one where sweet rock naifs Sherrie (Julianne Hough) and Drew (Diego Boneta) fall in love, but you’ve also got Axl-channeling Tom Cruise as shirtless rock icon Stacee Jaxx, Alec Baldwin and Russell Brand smooching on the sidelines, and you’ve got to find time for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giamatti, and a baboon as well. Luckily, as a former choreographer, Shankman’s used to making all those wildly disparate elements come together. Vulture rang him up recently to talk about the movie’s high degree of difficulty and the movie star who was hired without having sung a note.

At what point in the process did you actually get to hear Tom Cruise sing? Did he sing something for you before you hired him or did you sort of take it on faith? We talked about it in theory and in faith, but didn’t seal the deal until we went to vocal coaching and he was so unbelievable even in his first session. We realized we could move forward and it was going to work, and he felt good about it and he was going to get there. Then he spent months and months literally singing four or five hours a day, to the point where I was telling him, “You have to rest.” He sort of refused. I was concerned he was going to blow out his voice, but he’s like a terrier: He bites into it and there’s no shaking him off.

But when you initially cast him, did you have that moment when you said to him, “I know I need to ask this, but … you can sing, right?” I never had that moment. I, in my heart, believed that we could get there, and maybe I was foolish in just hoping in the way that I did. But here’s what I knew: We were never going to set him up for failure. He just wanted to know what I saw, what to do, and he wanted to know how to fit into it and how he could best serve the film. Here’s the thing: When I saw him do Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder , which I always tease him was his audition for the movie, I realized he had no problem taking the piss out of himself and committing as hard to a comic character as a dramatic character or an action character. He doesn’t do a hundred percent, he does a million percent, so if there was any shred of possibility there, he was going to nail it. Then I saw him dance on the MTV Awards with Jennifer Lopez and I was like, “Oh, okay, the dude can take choreography. That’s interesting.” That’s when it all kind of came together.

Is there a correlation in the ability to pick up on choreography and taking direction well from a director? There is. It’s the same thing. People have asked me a million times if I had a hard time transitioning from a choreographer to a director, and I say “Sadly, no.” It’s basically the same thing: You’re literally telling people where to go and what to do, and oftentimes, why and how to do it. The biggest thing was knowing how to handle the camera, and by the time I started directing, I had done, like, 70 movies and a million TV shows, so I had a sense of how it all worked.

Which of these songs was the hardest to clear the rights to? Ultimately, “Paradise City,” but once Axl [Rose] saw the movie without it and he said, “Go with God, this is fantastic.” I got the blessing from all of them.

Did you have to engage in any special wooing with any of these bands? Def Leppard, we definitely had to do a little bit of extra wooing for. They refused the rights for “Pour Some Sugar on Me” to the play and then they gave it to us. They needed convincing that we weren’t making fun of them.

Unlike the stage musical, Stacee and Sherrie actually don’t hook up in the movie. Can you explain that choice to me? If Sherrie actually slept with Tom, there was no way in a million years you could root for her and [Diego Boneta’s character] to be together. You would have lost any ability to root for them, and the breakup is much more heartbreaking [because] it’s a mistake.

There is a baboon costar in this movie. Is that the hardest performer you’ve ever had to deal with, or have there been some humans that were a little more difficult? On this movie, there were no difficult humans, and I think I can say that with great joy. [ Laughs. ] The hardest thing to deal with is when to yell “Cut!” on Russell Brand because he just keeps going and going and you don’t know what’s going to be gold and what’s going to work and what’s not. It’s just hilarious. Then Alec is laughing the whole time [through takes] and I’m pulling my hair out. But certainly, there was no attitude or diva behavior.

Speaking of pulling your hair out, I want to give the wigs in this movie their due. Did you have any trouble wrangling the big hair in this movie? You know, I had to talk to the wig department, because initially they were bumping them up really, really huge, and I was like, “The audience will never be able to relate to the characters or appreciate them if they have that hair.” I’ve always said that one bad wig can take down a whole movie, so I was very clear about it. I think Diego Boneta practically half got the job because that was actually his real hair. [ Laughs .]

I love the idea that there’s this sort of inverse relationship between how high the wig can be and how much the audience can relate to the character. We used to name the wigs! Like, Russell’s was the “Nikki” for Nikki Sixx, and Mary J. had two different “Donna Summers” and a “Chaka” and a “Side Chaka.”

Were Tom’s wigs named? Tom only had a little hairpiece in there! He grew his hair out for the movie.

I wanted to ask about one of my favorite credits of yours: How was it to choreograph the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ? Oh my God, it was an absolute blast! I am very close to Sarah Michelle [Gellar]. I married Sarah and Freddie [Prinze Jr.]. Joss was very careful directing that episode, but we got along great and we just had a ball making that. It was a great time.

Is it exciting that you and Joss Whedon both have big summer movies out this year? I love Joss, so I’m so happy for him with The Avengers . I can’t even tell you.

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Does Tom Cruise Have A Good Singing Voice?

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The crafts of music and acting are often intrinsically linked. Granted, not every talented actor can be a good singer or vice versa. Mick Jagger, Britney Spears, Adam Levine and Ed Sheeran are all great musicians, but did not have as much success when they tried crossing over into screen acting.

On the other hand, there are those like Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Mary J. Blige who started out as musicians, but proved to be surprisingly good actors as well . The same is true for Will Smith who is best known these days for his incredible acting portfolio. The Fresh Prince of Bel Air star was mostly a rapper at the beginning of his showbiz career.

The inverse is also not uncommon in Hollywood, with a number of actors proving their singing prowess over the years. Bradley Cooper demonstrated his vocal talents as one of the two lead stars of the 2018 romantic musical film A Star Is Born , alongside Lady Gaga.

Emma Stone, Matthew McConaughey, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anne Hathaway have all wowed audiences with exemplary singing performances as part of an acting role.

RELATED: Iggy Pop And More Musicians You Didn't Know Were Also Voice Actors

Top Gun star Tom Cruise has also not shied away from trying his hand at belting out a tune or two in his day. He has done this either singing or lip syncing in movie roles, or doing bits for late night TV shows. But just how good is his actual singing voice?

Tom Cruise Popularized Lip Syncing With His Performance In Risky Business

Lip-syncing is all the rage in modern showbiz. Whether by musicians during live concert performances , or as part of a bit for various shows, the concept of matching one’s lips to a pre-recorded song has become a core part of the performing arts. The practice has been around for nearly a century, with the earliest known iterations dating as far back as the 1920s.

That being said, Tom Cruise was one of the people who actually popularized lip-syncing as it is known today. He started his acting career in 1981, with roles in the movies Endless Love and Taps . He got his breakthrough about two years later, when he played a high-achieving high school student called Joel Goodsen in the teen sex comedy-drama film Risky Business .

RELATED: Tom Cruise Has Tons Of Movies On Netflix, But They Aren't His Best Work

It was in this movie that Cruise memorably delivered a classic lip syncing performance . In just a shirt and underwear, he grooved to the song Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger. About four decades later, a TV show titled Lip Sync Battle — in very much the same fashion as Cruise’s act in Risky Business — debuted on Paramount Network.

Tom Cruise Also Sang In The Film Rock Of Ages

As one of the undisputedly best actors on the planet, the art of mimicking singing would have undoubtedly come easy for Tom Cruise. In the 2012 jukebox musical film Rock of Ages , however, he surprised audiences with his actual singing skills, as he delivered a powerful performance that showcased a new side of him.

Rock of Ages is a musical comedy-drama film based on the Broadway musical of the same name. The movie is set in the 1980s and tells the story of a small-town girl named Sherrie (played by Julianne Hough) who moves to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming a singer.

RELATED: Fans Praised Tom Cruise For His "Diva" Moment During A Red Carpet Interview

There, she meets Drew (Diego Boneta), a barback at the legendary rock club, The Bourbon Room. The two fall in love, and together they try to save The Bourbon Room from being shut down by a conservative politician (Bryan Cranston). Cruise plays the character of Stacee Jaxx, the lead singer of the fictional rock band Arsenal.

Did Tom Cruise Really Sing In James Corden’s Final Episode Of The Late Late Show?

Tom Cruise has often impressed audiences with his lip syncing performances. In 2015, he appeared in an episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon , where he battled the host in the segment titled Lip Sync Battle , from which the fully-fledged, eponymous show on Paramount Network was born.

His performance of The Weeknd’s I Can’t Feel My Face was so good that it even got the Canadian singer gushing over it: “can’t believe @TomCruise is singing my song. @jimmyfallon *** you’re the MAN for this one,” he wrote on his Twitter account.

Cruise was also a regular guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden , where the pair often took on audacious adventures together. For his very final episode , the English host invited his old friend to join him in a real-life stage performance alongside the cast of The Lion King .

The bit culminated with Cruise and Corden delivering their own heartfelt rendition of Sir Elton John’s classic Can You Feel the Love Tonight . For anyone who still did not know that the Jerry Maguire star could actually sing, this was proof that he is more than just his legendary acting chops.

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Tom Cruise's 'Intergalactic' 'Rock of Ages' Performance

The Rock of Ages star will show off his vocal chops in the upcoming movie musical

Tom Cruise made it big dancing in his tighty whities in Risky Business . But can he sing?

As far as Stephen Baldwin is concerned, he can.

Cruise, 48, is currently filming the big screen adaptation of the musical Rock of Ages , costarring Alec Baldwin, and his singing abilities are otherworldly, Alec’s brother Stephen Baldwin reports.

PHOTO: Alec Baldwin Channels Bret Michaels

“The word behind the scenes is ‘intergalactic,'” Stephen told PEOPLE at the Cinema Society and Grey Goose-sponsored screening of The Ledge on Tuesday in N.Y.C.

“He covered a song by a particular band, and the feedback was that the band was completely blown away,” says the younger Baldwin brother. “The whispers and the rumors are that what he’s doing with Rock of Ages is out of this world. Pretty cool, huh?”

The film is set to be released on June 1, 2012.

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Reel Life With Jane

Did Tom Cruise Sing in Rock of Ages?

I had some issues with Rock of Ages , mainly that it’s rated PG-13 and should be rated R. You can’t have that many sexual references in a PG-13 movie and have it be ok for 13-year-olds.

Still, there was a lot to love about Rock of Ages (@RockofAgesMovie on Twitter) , Tom Cruise’s vocals being one of them. Even through all of his craziness, I’ve always been a fan, partly because he throws himself into every role with gusto — especially if it involves something he’s never done before. Hang from a building in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ? No problem? Be a foul-mouthed agent in Tropic Thunder ? Done. Belt out 80s tunes as a rock star in Rock of Ages ? That’s cool.

We can all take a page from Cruise’s book, because he doesn’t try to do these things on his own. He asks for help and hires the best trainers and coaches to get him where he needs to go. For Rock of Ages , he worked hard on his singing with Axl Rose’s former vocal coach Ron Anderson.

“Adam Shankman, the director, asked me if I could carry a tune,” Cruise explained in the June issue of W Magazine . “I said, ‘We’ll see, won’t we? This is either going to work or it’s going to be dreadful.’”

Well, it wasn’t dreadful. It was awesome. Jeremy Woodard, who began playing Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages on Broadway last September, agrees. “For him not to be a singer at all he sounded fantastic,” Woodard told the Wall Street Journal , admitting that maybe he has a teensy leg up on the mega-movie star. “I brought to it someone who’s come from a place of singing, so maybe I got him on that a little bit. I mean, with movies I guess they can fix mistakes, but here, we crack on stage and you’re going to hear every little thing that’s wrong.”

It’s interesting that Cruise never saw Woodard on stage before he began filming the movie, though he did see the Rock of Ages play in L.A. (and was also surprised with a three-song performance at a June 12 Friars Club event where he was honored with an Entertainment Icon Award).

Maybe he wanted to ensure that he’d bring his own rock-star chutzpah to the role of Stacee Jaxx without being clouded by another performance. I do that with my movie and TV reviews — never read other reviews until my own are filed. Because, you know, I’m like Tom Cruise that way.

Read my full review of Rock of Age s over at  MommaSaid.net , which runs Reel Life With Jane’s  syndicated family movie reviews .

Have you seen  Rock of Ages  yet? What did you think of Tom Cruise’s singing? 

Jane Boursaw

10 responses to “Did Tom Cruise Sing in Rock of Ages?”

I read some of Alec Baldwin’s tweets during filming, and he said Cruise’s singing was going to blow everyone away. I guess it’s really him!

I read an interview with him in People too. I, like most American girls my age, loved Tom Cruise early in his career: Taps, The Outsiders, Risky Business (who couldn’t love that underwear scene?), Top Gun, Born on the Fourth of July….but lost interest in him as I aged. Eyes Wide Shut really turned me off, mainly because it was creepy and that jumping on Oprah’s couch thing, what was that all about!? However, I never lost my love for 80s rock, so this just *might* be the movie that puts him back in my favor. 🙂

That’s a hoot that he does his own singing. Good for him.

Can’t wait to see this one – saw the show and loved it. The movie’s cast is terrific.

I heard about him singing his own tunes. The film doesn’t appeal to me–I still think movies based on musicals just never capture the magic of seeing it on stage. I loved Hairspray on stage but on film, it just seemed cheesy

You’ve intrigued me. Now I’d like to see the movie.

Tom cruise was at his peek when in real life of 1987 when heavy metal was very popular. So him playing as a heavy metal singer that look would of look good on him even when he was a teen idle back then. He was on teen magazines as the songs he did sing on this movie each singer was on Rolling Stone magazine. So weird, though he out done him self. He is still loved from the past up to now. He has shown the world he will never fade out.

Wow he totally blew me away I’m a huge gun’s and roses fan and Bon Jovi his voice was amazing. Not only is Tom Cruise hot but he’s now given himself a name on the stage. In my opinion I think maybe he should consider pursuing further a further career in music. That’s if he can handle the music career and acting. Either way keep rocking Tom xx

Nice singing, but they really should have rated this film, ‘R.’

He was a true ROCKSTAR!

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Tom Cruise Confirmed to Sing in ‘Rock of Ages’

By Us Weekly

Tom Cruise will play fictional heavy metal star Stacee Jaxx in Rock of Ages , the big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, film director Adam Shankman confirmed to E! News’ Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet at Sunday’s Oscars.

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“He’s studying his vocals,” Shankman said.

In the show, Cruise’s character sings Jon Bon Jovi’s classic “Wanted Dead or Alive.”

PHOTOS: Tom and Katie’s wedded bliss

But can Cruise carry a tune like his wife Katie Holmes?

“He can sing!” Shankman said. “It’s a miracle!”

PHOTOS: Suri Cruise’s charmed life

Along with Holmes, Cruise checked out a performance of the show last Sunday in Hollywood, where American Idol alum Constantine Maroulis stars.

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James Corden and Tom Cruise perform on ‘The Lion King’ stage for their final ‘Late Late Show’ skit

Tom Cruise has gone from “All the Right Moves” to all the right notes.

Cruise joined James Corden April 27 on the final episode of his “The Late Late Show” by performing alongside him in a production of “The Lion King” at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.

The bit opened with Corden recruiting a reluctant Cruise to take part in the show, noting that the two of them had pulled off some amazing stunts together when Cruise has appeared on the program.

“In the eight years that I’ve hosted ‘The Late Late Show,’ we’ve been skydiving, you’ve flown me upside down, and today you’re going to enter my world, alright?” Corden said.

Corden then introduced Cruise to the "Lion King" cast and the pair did some exercises to prepare, including dancing to the “Mission: Impossible” theme song and using some of the character costumes to recreate the famous “You can’t handle the truth” scene from “A Few Good Men.”

Cruise also gave a spirited pre-show speech to the cast. Then, the curtain went up and Corden and Cruise walked onto the stage from the back of the theater. After they finished their part, Cruise thought they were done, but Corden rallied him to keep it up.

The duo then returned to the stage, with the curtain lifting up to show them, prompting the audience to hoot and holler and in delight.

“Hakuna Matata. What a wonderful phrase,” Corden, as Timon, said.

“Hakuna Matata, ain’t no passing craze,” Cruise, as Pumbaa, half-sang, half-spoke.

They then launched into a song and dance of “Hakuna Matata” while the audience cheered and Cruise later tried to hit a high note belting out the line, “When I was a young warthog!”

They wrapped up their song to a thunderous round of applause and a standing ovation from some people in the audience. The crowd went nuts again when they came out to take their bows after the performance ended.

Later, the two had a funny moment when Corden confronted Cruise about how he’ll “find yourself another late night host” to promote his future projects.

“When ‘Mission: Impossible 12’ comes out, you’re not going to think of me. You’re going to be off base jumping with Bowen Yang,” he said in mock anger.

“I’m not the one turning my back on everything that we have, everything that we’ve created,” Cruise fired back. “This is your last show. You did this to us.”

Cruise then went off to have drinks with some of “The Lion King” cast, but as he sat at a table, he began to sing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” with Corden still sitting in the theater, joining in for an unlikely duet. A montage of their moments on “The Late Late Show” played on the screen while they reunited on top of a building, continuing to sing.

As Corden apologized for their tiff, Cruise told him to "shut up" while referencing “Jerry Maguire.”

“You had me at hello,” he said.

“I love you, Tom,” Corden said.

“I know," Cruise said, as he walked away to a waiting helicopter while the “Mission: Impossible” music played, leaving Corden stranded on the roof.

Drew Weisholtz is a reporter for TODAY Digital, focusing on pop culture, nostalgia and trending stories. He has seen every episode of “Saved by the Bell” at least 50 times, longs to perfect the crane kick from “The Karate Kid” and performs stand-up comedy, while also cheering on the New York Yankees and New York Giants. A graduate of Rutgers University, he is the married father of two kids who believe he is ridiculous.

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‘rock of ages’ director: ‘i was like a 15-year-old girl’ hearing tom cruise sing (video).

Adam Shankman talks to THR about Warner Bros.' movie musical, which opens in theaters on June 15.

By Rebecca Ford

Rebecca Ford

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Director Adam Shankman had his work cut out with him when it came to taking the musical Rock of Ages and transitioning it to the screen. Sure, he had an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julianne Hough, Malin Akerman and Tom Cruise , but he also had a group of actors that included some who had never sung in a film.

PHOTOS: Broadway Musicals That Have Sung Their Way to the Big Screen

Cruise, who plays rockstar Stacee Jaxx in the Warner Bros. film, is known for his full-on commitment to his characters, but could the man sing?

Shankman described to The Hollywood Reporter the first time he heard Cruise sing.

“The first time I heard him sing was before we formally agreed that we were going to go forward with this,” he said. Shankman sat in the other room as Cruise did his first lesson with Axl Rose ’s former voice coach.

“He sounded amazing,” Shankman told THR. “And within one lesson his range broadened as he opened up. I opened the door, and I was like a 15-year-old girl, I was screaming and jumping up and down and going, ‘Oh my god this is going to work.’ ”

PHOTOS: ‘Rock of Ages’ Premiere Features Tom Cruise and Julianne Hough, plus Josh Duhamel and Fergie in Costume

For the film, which opens in theaters on June 15, Cruise worked on his singing voice for months.

“He was singing literally four or five hours per day. He wouldn’t stop, and I started to get scared he was going to blow out his voice,” Shankman said, adding that “There’s no 100 percent with him, there’s 10,000 percent.”

Shankman, who also directed the musical movie hit Hairspray, added that he was impressed by the level of commitment from all of the actors.

Who surprised him the most? Malin Akerman , who plays Rolling Stone journalist Constance Stark. Akerman’s character interviews Stacee Jaxx, but ends up falling for his rock star ways in one of the craziest scenes in the film.

“Because of her fearlessness and her willingness to let all of that insanity that she got embroiled in just sort of happen without blinking an eye,” Shankman said.

For her part, Akerman told THR it was an honor to work with Cruise.

VIDEO: ‘Rock of Ages’ Star Malin Akerman on Tom Cruise: ‘He Transformed Himself Into a Rock Star’

“To be able to work with Tom Cruise is incredible,” said Ackerman . “If you look back at his body of work, he’s such an incredible actor so I always feel like whenever you get to work with someone who’s been in the business for a while whose really good at their job, they always make you a better actor.”

Watch THR ’s complete interview with Shankman above.

Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @Beccamford

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Follow along with the official Olympic Games Paris 2024 live blog to keep up with all the action from 24 July to 11 August, including full details on every event, live results and medallists, and athlete reactions straight from the competition.

Key Moments

Thank you for joining us on the official Paris 2024 Olympic Games live blog!

It’s been a wonderful 16 days of official action (and an additional two of preliminaries before that), but all good things must come to an end.

And that means for us, the journey has finished for another Olympic Games.

But don’t turn your attention away. The Paralympic Games begin on 28 August in Paris. And the next Olympic Winter Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy, are in only a year and a half’s time.

Don’t forget to keep coming back to Olympics.com for all the best sports action between now and then – we’ve got you covered, even when the Olympic Games aren’t underway.

All that’s left to say is Merci, bonne soirée, au revoir et à bientôt – thank you, good evening, goodbye and see you soon.

It’s been an absolute pleasure bringing you all the action from Paris.

We leave you with a gallery of the best images from tonight's Closing Ceremony.

Closing Ceremony: Finale

We will have incredible memories of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

And to sing us out is Yseult – singing an interpretation of Frank Sinatra’s classic, My Way , itself originally based on the French song Comme d’habitude .

And with a last blast of fireworks above the Stade de France, the ceremony concludes.

And now, the end is near. And so, we face the final curtain. 🔥 As we bid farewell to the Paris 2024 Olympic flame, Yseult treats us to a spine-tingling rendition of “My way”. #Paris2024 #LA28 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/SWRYUpVW86 — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: A special handover

As we get ready for the end of the show, we have a special handover.

French Closing Ceremony Flagbearer Antoine Dupont , gold medallist with the men’s rugby sevens team, has passed the French national flag over to the French Paralympic team.

A timely reminder Paris 2024’s Olympic chapter may be coming to an end, but the Paralympic Games will thrill us beginning with the Opening Ceremony on 28 August.

Closing Ceremony: The Olympic Games are declared closed

Léon Marchand has arrived at the Stade de France with the Olympic Flame from the Jardins des Tuileries.

The audience who have stayed are giving him a warm welcome. "Léon, Léon," the stadium chants as one.

The six athletes who accompanied Tony Estanguet and President Thomas Bach's speeches earlier wait for him on stage, as does the IOC President.

President Bach declares the Games closed, then the six athletes and Marchand blow out the flame in the lantern. 

“In accordance with tradition, I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Los Angeles, United States of America, to celebrate with all of us the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad,” President Bach adds.

Closing Ceremony: A party, LA style!

Time for LA’s side of the party – the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Billie Eilish performing for us from a very sunny California!

And, of course,  Snoop Dogg , who's also been in Paris during the Games.  Dr Dre makes an appearance too.

We’re coming to Los Angeles! It's Californication! 😎 The Red Hot Chili Peppers are getting the @LA28 party started! #Paris2024 #LA28 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/P6PZEU2Yuf — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: Wait, is that Tom Cruise?

Yes, that is Tom Cruise , rappelling from the Stade de France roof!

He will help transport the Olympic Flag from here in Paris to Los Angeles, via the streets of Paris and the hills of Hollywood, as he takes the flag from Simone Biles.

And that's the famous Hollywood sign, with a few extra Olympic rings! All the while, the  Red Hot Chili Peppers play in the background.

Along the way, we see cameos from friends and Olympians Kate Courtney (mountain bike, 2020), Michael Johnson (track and field athletics, four-time Olympic champion, 1992-2000), and Jagger Eaton (skateboarding, two-time Olympic medallist, 2020-2024).

Courtney takes us downtown to the LA Memorial Coliseum , which was a venue in 1932 and 1984; Johnson through the neighbourhoods of LA; and Eaton finishes the flag relay at the world-famous Venice Beach .

“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to bring the Olympic flag to Los Angeles.” Tom Cruise: #Paris2024 #LA28 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/bLsZJTc0xy — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: H.E.R. performs the U.S. national anthem

The first part of the handover ceremony is the U.S. national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner . It is performed by Californian artist H.E.R. , who has won an Emmy, Grammy, and Oscar during her career, leaving her just a Tony award from EGOT status.

She most recently performed during the halftime show at Super Bowl LVIII with Usher.

Mayor Bass handed the Olympic Flag to Simone Biles off to the side.

She is H.E.R.! 🤩 🌟 “The Star-Spangled Banner” rings out around the Stade de France, while Simone Biles holds the Olympic flag. Is it starting to feel real, @LA28 ? #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/an6H3AfKBf — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: The Olympic Flag is lowered and handed over to LA

The Olympic Anthem, performed by the Maîtrise de Fontainebleau and the Orchestre Divertimento, plays while the Olympic Flag is lowered in the Stade de France.

The Olympic Flag will be passed from Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, to IOC President Thomas Bach, then to Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass.  Simone Biles is joining them on stage.

Mayors Hidalgo and Bass are the first women mayors to serve Paris and Los Angeles.

Then time for the LA show!

🇫🇷🤝🇺🇸 From Paris to LA. The Olympic flag is officially handed over! 🏳️ #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/APPVwv17YV — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: IOC President Thomas Bach gives speech

Addressing the athletes, IOC President  Thomas Bach , 1976 fencing Olympic champion, says: "Despite all the tensions in our world, you came here from all 206 national Olympic committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, to make the City of Light shine brighter than ever before.

"Your performances were amazing. You competed fiercely against each other. Every contest on the edge of perfection. Every performance sparking excitement around the world. You showed us what greatness we humans are capable of.

“The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were a celebration of the athletes and of sport at its best.

“The first Olympic Games delivered completely under our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable. The first Olympic Games with full gender parity.

“These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish – or dare I say: Seine -sational Games.”

Thomas Bach, President of International Olympic Committee, makes a speech during the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 11, 2024 in Paris, France

Closing Ceremony: Estanguet tells athletes 'You were magic'

"To you, athletes, what can I say? We knew you would be brilliant, but you were magic," Estanguet says.

"You made us happy, you made us feel alive.

"On behalf of billions of sport lovers across the five continents, thank you very much.

"We will be reunited in LA28, and the Games will keep growing."

Closing Ceremony: Tony Estanguet to deliver speech

President of the Organising Committee for Paris 2024, the three-time canoe Olympic champion Tony Estanguet , will deliver his closing speech next.

He is joined up on stage by six athletes, representing the five continents and the Refugee Olympic Team.

• Boxer Cindy Ngamba (EOR), one bronze medal, representing the Refugee Olympic Team
• Table tennis player Sun Yingsha (CHN), three gold medals, two silver medals, representing Asia
• Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), two gold medals, one silver medal, one bronze medal, representing Africa
• Wrestler Mijaín López (CUB), five gold medals, representing the Americas
• Judoka Teddy Riner (FRA), five gold medals, two bronze medals, representing Europe
• Swimmer Emma McKeon (AUS), six gold medals, three silver medals, five bronze medals, representing Oceania

All of them get big cheers from the crowd.

Closing Ceremony: Time for a party!

Now it’s time for some music! Here’s French band Phœnix to get our party started.

The athletes are up close and personal to this gig.

Now Angèle has joined Phœnix.

Kaminsky ,  Air , and  Vannda have all also made appearances.

And now, for a U.S. touch, here's Ezra Koenig (of Vampire Weekend fame).

🎸 Paris is rising for Phoenix, and floating on Air! Wait, is that an Angèle we see?🎶 The crowd loves it. This is the Stade de Dance! 🪩 #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/Q8z8MosZfH — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: The athletes are the show!

The athletes have become part of the show, taking over the stage – which is, in case you didn’t know, set out in a way representing the map of the world: five continents and its oceans.

Closing Ceremony: Fireworks!

Cue the fireworks as the Olympic Rings are finally fully hoisted to their place in the stadium in person.

On the video screens in the stadium, a highlight package of the best moments of the Games is playing.

A general view of the inside of the stadium as a Pyrotechnics Display takes place

Closing Ceremony: The Olympic Rings appear!

Speaking of the Olympic Rings, here they are!

In an impressive choreographic ballet, the Golden Voyager discovers the Olympic rings, which are excavated out of the Stade de France floor and hoisted into the air in the middle of the stadium.

During that time, French pianist and opera singer Benjamin Bernheim was singing the Hymn to Apollo , while Alain Roche played on a piano while being suspended vertically in the air.

Yes, that is a piano suspended in mid-air! 🎹 “The Hymn to Apollo”, like you’ve never seen or heard it before. #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/fRT5uqKVlN — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: Nike, the Goddess of Victory

Nike, the Goddess of Victory who appears on every Olympic medal, appears as an entity in the middle of the stage.

In the stands, LED bracelets handed out to spectators produce images of athletes painted on pottery, then doves of peace, and finally, the Olympic Rings.

Spectacular.

Closing Ceremony: Recognising the foundations of the Olympic Games

As is protocol during the Closing Ceremony, the Greek flag will be raised and the national anthem of Greece played in recognition of that nation’s role in the Olympic Games.

There is a twist though: instead of this being part of the usual protocol, Thomas Jolly has entwined it in with the show, taking us in Pierre de Coubertin’s footsteps at the end of the 1800s as he revived the ancient Olympic Games.

Athens 1896 🇬🇷 to Paris 2024 🇫🇷 It’s always worth remembering Pierre de Coubertin’s vision for the modern Olympic Games and the contribution of Greece. #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/BiHfQNGrQu — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: Welcome the Golden Voyager

The Stade de France has now been transformed into a giant theatre, dark and mysterious. It’s spine-chilling.

From the sky, a Golden Voyager appears. This character is inspired by references from French history, including the Spirit of the Bastille.

Stade de France ➡️ Théâtre de France 🎭 Time for another show at this iconic venue! #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/P9EWkfaPx5 — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: Thank you, Paris 2024 Volunteers!

We now pay tribute to the volunteers who have helped ensure Paris 2024 ran smoothly, from the Eiffel Tower to Tahiti, Marseille to Lille.

Four newly elected IOC Athletes’ Commission members, Allyson Felix (USA) , Kim Bui (GER) , Jess Fox (AUS) , and Marcus Daniell (NZL) , are called upon to hand out gifts of appreciation to volunteer representatives.

Closing Ceremony: Celebrating the Marathon Pour Tous

Last night, 20,024 runners took part in a marathon and another 20,024 in a 10km race on the streets of Paris and Versailles, following the official Olympic marathon course.

This mass-participation Marathon Pour Tous , or Marathon for All, was a first at an Olympic Games.

We’re now being treated to video highlights from the public races last night.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Olympic Games (@olympics)

Athletics: Victory ceremony for the Women’s Marathon

The traditional protocol of the closing ceremony normally features a victory ceremony for the marathon, the last event of the athletics schedule.

Paris 2024’s Closing Ceremony is no different. Except this time, the last event was the women’s marathon rather than the men’s, to highlight the historic Women’s March on Versailles in 1789.

The medallists receiving their awards tonight are:

🥇Sifan Hassan, Netherlands

🥈Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia

🥉Hellen Obiri, Kenya

The Dutch athletes are right up to the front, as close as they can get, to the podium.

Sifan Hassan acknowledges the crowd during the women's marathon victory ceremony

Closing Ceremony: The athletes continue to enter the stadium

As the final athletes start to enter the stadium, the crowd as one starts to sing the riff to  Seven Nation Army to cheer on the athletes.

The stadium announcer has just announced karaoke for the stadium:  Les Champs-Elysées by Joe Dassin,  Freed From Desire by Gala, and  We Are the Champions by Queen are among the songs.

Enter the delegations – all 205 of them. 🤩 We watch the athletes on their final journey together as the Class of Paris 2024. #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/QwnBb9D8oD — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: The athletes are having a party

As the athletes continue to enter the stadium bowl of the Stade de France, it's a full on party. They're dancing and taking selfies to remember this moment.

From the Opening Ceremony to the Closing Ceremony, we've come full circle! Let’s welcome in the flagbearers! 👋 #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/4Uf6F1MuYc — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024

Closing Ceremony: Here come the Flagbearers and athletes!

The flags of all competing National Olympic Committees are now entering the Stade de France, followed by the athletes.

As is traditional, the athletes are entering together as one during the Closing Ceremony, rather than in teams.

Here is a list of all Flagbearers for tonight. 👇

The flagbearers for the Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony

There's a massive roar for  Antoine Dupont and  Pauline Ferrand-Prévot , the French duo carrying the hosts' flag.

Closing Ceremony: The French flag enters the stadium

The dignitaries, including IOC President Thomas Bach and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron , have arrived and are introduced to the crowd.

A flag party carries the French flag into the stadium, where the Orchestre Divertimento and Maîtrise de Fontainebleau will perform Victor le Masne’s rearrangement of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise .

La Marseillaise. At the Stade de France. What an emotional moment! 🥹 Paris, it's been a pleasure. 💙🤍❤️ #Paris2024 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/OrHzYQDlGP — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024