Tom Cruise: Age-defying Action Her

He may be 60 but he's one of the few movie stars whose name can still secure box-office success

- By Nici De Wet

HE'S a good old-fashioned Hollywood hero, the kind of guy who makes women swoon and men want to be him.

Jon Hamm, his co-star in Top Gun: Maverick, describes him as a force of nature and he's right - Tom Cruise is in a league of his own.

He's a slice of silver-screen heavenliness that harks back to the golden age of Tinseltown when men oozed sex appeal in their tight-in-all-the-right places tuxedos.

He's also a bit of a freak of nature. Tom turns 60 on 3 July - and the big 6-0 never looked like this.

He may have the odd wrinkle here and there but who's counting when that smile is pretty much the same as it was way back when? As for his bod, there's no doubt he could fit into those overalls he pulled on for his first turn as Maverick in 1986's Top Gun. In fact, Maverick then is almost interchangeable with Maverick 2.0.

Tom may have a strange side - his links to Scientology, the fact he hasn't seen his youngest daughter Suri in years, and his seemingly nonexistent love life. But when it comes to youthfulness, you can't really fault him.

Just how does he do it?

MAINTAINING THOSE MUSCLES

Sixty may be far from over the hill but let's face it at this age many men are finding the fight against the slow creep of flab a little hard. But Tom remains a lean, mean, fighting machine.

However, it takes work. In an interview with Men's Health magazine, he reveals his secrets and just reading his list is exhausting enough. Sea-kayaking, caving, fencing, treadmill, weights, rock-climbing, hiking... I also jog.