After all, she clarified, “I could never leave the throngs of gay people out in the world, of which I am a member, and proud to be a member.”
After The Rosie O’Donnell Show premiered in 1996, Cruise played into O’Donnell’s love for him, appearing on an episode in December of that year where he gave her flowers and multiple kisses.
Since then, the A League of Their Own actress has kept in touch with Cruise, who she says has always treated her kindly.
“Every year, I think, ‘What a classy guy he is that he has never forgotten my birthday,’” she said during a SiriusXM radio appearance in 2021. “A lot of people say to me, ‘It’s just his secretary.’ But I don’t believe that. I think he knows in early March, ‘Oh, it’s Rosie’s birthday coming up.’ And he sends me something every single year for 25 years.”
And as O’Donnell sees it, “I love Tom Cruise and I will always love Tom Cruise.”
To learn more about other celebrity friendships you might find surprising, keep reading…