Tom Cruise unexpectedly appeared at Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Still, it wasn’t his presence that caught viewers’ attention – it was his markedly different appearance.
The 62-year-old actor appeared in a promotional clip for FOX. The clip was a dramatic pregame promo that featured Cruise walking to the center of a darkened room surrounded by screens displaying historic NFL moments.
Viewers immediately took to social media to discuss the Golden Globe winner’s appearance, with many suggesting his face appeared “unnaturally stretched” and “puffy.” One fan wrote, “Why does Tom Cruise look like a deepfake of Tom Cruise?” while another commented, “Tom Cruise finally looking old makes me feel old.”
Others shared their enthusiasm for the actor’s appearance. As one viewer noted, “Loved this part of the Super Bowl pregame!! Such an iconic actor and voice for this type of thing,” adding, “Nice job Tom. Also loved of course the mission impossible trailer. Gonna be 🔥.”
Medical professionals have offered their analysis of Cruise’s appearance. Dr. Gizem Seymenoglu, a medical aesthetician, suggests Cruise’s “stretched” and “swollen” look might be the result of a fat transfer procedure, also known as “lipo filling” or “fat grafting.” This procedure, which can cost up to $15,000, involves removing fat from one area of the body and injecting it into the face to add volume. Dr. Seymenoglu also speculates that Cruise may be using Botox injections, requiring regular treatments costing approximately $3,000 per year.
Multiple plastic surgeons who analyzed the commercial suggested that Cruise had likely received fillers, Botox, and laser skin resurfacing but no more invasive procedures like a facelift. They noted changes in his jawline definition and fuller face, which could be attributed to weight gain or an overabundance of fillers.
A former personal manager revealed that Cruise was “obsessed with his looks” and would do whatever was necessary to maintain his youthful image.
The appearance comes amid promotion for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” where Cruise continues to perform his stunts.
Recently, he revealed the physical demands of filming, including an underwater scene that caused oxygen deprivation and required him to limit his time in gear to 10-minute intervals. Director Christopher McQuarrie described the scene as one of the most challenging and terrifying to film, noting that during a screening, an audience member said, “I was suffocating throughout the entire sequence. I almost had a heart attack,” McQuarrie revealed.
Cruise’s commitment to performing his own stunts extends beyond underwater scenes. He revealed that he blacked out multiple times while filming another extreme stunt for the film, where he had to cling to the side of a flying airplane. Additionally, Cruise had to train himself to breathe properly while filming the scenes where he held onto a 1930s biplane, flying over 120 miles per hour.
Some viewers compared his new look to other Hollywood stars, with comments suggesting he was “morphing into Dustin Hoffman” or starting to “look like a young Valerie Singleton.”
While some suggested the face they saw may have been AI-generated, others pushed back on these concerns, suggesting it’s part of the natural aging process. The changes in Cruise’s appearance were also attributed to his decision to opt for a fuller head of hair, which may have accentuated the differences in his facial features.
In a dazzling display of entertainment and celebrity culture, the Super Bowl transformed into a star-studded spectacle as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched a 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar commanded the halftime show stage alongside an impressive roster of special guests. Lamar’s performance featured collaborations with SZA, while surprise appearances by Samuel L. Jackson (dressed as Uncle Sam), Serena Williams, and Mustard elevated the entertainment value.
The pregame festivities showcased New Orleans’ rich musical heritage, with native son Jon Batiste performing the national anthem. Lauren Daigle and Trombone Shorty delivered a stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful,” while Ledisi performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band added local flavor to the pregame show.
The celebrity attendance list reads like a who’s who of entertainment, sports, and politics. Jay-Z attended with his daughters Rumi and Blue Ivy. In a Super Bowl first, celebrity super fans—actors Bradley Cooper (dressed in green) and Jon Hamm—introduced the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
The star-studded crowd included Lady Gaga, Harry Connick Jr., Pete Davidson, Paul Rudd, Kevin Costner, and Brendan Fraser. Other celebrities seen inside the Caesars Superdome ahead of kickoff and throughout the game included Miles Teller, Ice Spice, Kevin Hart, Brenda Song, Macaulay Culkin, Louis Tomlinson, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Paul McCartney, Adam Sandler, and Flavor Flav.
In a notable musical moment outside the stadium, Lady Gaga gave a powerful piano performance on Bourbon Street to honor the victims of a recent New Orleans terror attack, with several NFL legends and officials in attendance.
The event featured comprehensive accessibility measures, with American Sign Language interpreters Stephanie Nogueras and Otis Jones IV signing the national anthem and “America the Beautiful.” Matt Maxey provided ASL interpretation for the halftime show, ensuring the entertainment was accessible to all attendees.
President Donald Trump and pop superstar Taylor Swift experienced markedly different receptions at Super Bowl LIX. The contrasting crowd responses sparked a social media response from Trump following the game.
Swift, who attended to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, faced boos when she appeared on the video board at Caesars Superdome during the first quarter. The 14-time Grammy winner appeared to laugh off the response from the predominantly Eagles-supporting crowd.
Tennis legend Serena Williams quickly defended Swift on social media, posting, “I love you @taylorswift13, don’t listen to those booo!!”
Trump, who made history as the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl, received applause when he was featured on the screen during the national anthem.
Following the game, he took to his Truth Social platform to comment on the audience’s reaction to Swift. “The only one that had a tougher night than the Kansas City Chiefs was Taylor Swift. She got BOOED out of the Stadium. MAGA is very unforgiving!” Trump posted.
Among other notable attendees at the Super Bowl was Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whom Trump praised as a “big MAGA fan.”
The Eagles’ victory was decisive, with quarterback Jalen Hurts named the 2025 Super Bowl MVP. The final score of 40-22 reflected the Eagles’ dominance throughout the game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes later shared a message with fans acknowledging his team’s loss.
Contrary to circulating rumors, Kelce did not propose to Swift during the Super Bowl festivities, as some fans had speculated.