--- title: Tom Cruise Sends Dakota Fanning a Birthday Gift Every Year description: Tom Cruise has sent Dakota Fanning a birthday gift every year without fail since she met him when she was 11 on 'The War of the Worlds'. canonical: https://time.com/4541122/dakota-fanning-tom-cruise-birthday-gifts/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-10-22T02:55:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:37:53.492Z og:title: Tom Cruise Sends Dakota Fanning a Birthday Gift Every Year og:description: For the past 11 years og:url: https://time.com/4541122/dakota-fanning-tom-cruise-birthday-gifts/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbd344c7f19daea09/6988ab22428a9e4a23cd4bc3/tom-cruise-dakota-fanning-shoes.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" - European Premiere - Red Carpet Arrivals og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Tom Cruise Sends Dakota Fanning a Birthday Gift Every Year twitter:description: For the past 11 years twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbd344c7f19daea09/6988ab22428a9e4a23cd4bc3/tom-cruise-dakota-fanning-shoes.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Tom Cruise Sends Dakota Fanning Shoes Every Year For Her Birthday  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Oct 22, 2016 2:55 AM UTC  Tom Cruise attends the European premiere of "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage) Tom Cruise attends the European premiere of "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)Samir Hussein—WireImage  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Oct 22, 2016 2:55 AM UTC For all her 22 years, [Dakota Fanning](http://motto.time.com/4517869/dakota-fanning-horrific-dates/) has worked with some of the most respected actors during her career in Hollywood. Which is why when Fanning appeared on the [always enjoyable _Watch What Happens Live_ to “chop it up” with Andy Cohen](http://time.com/4340106/mariah-carey-jennifer-lopez-nicki-minaj/), she had plenty of secrets to reveal about her famous co-stars, from [Denzel Washington](http://time.com/4509463/viola-davis-denzel-washington-fences-trailer/) to [Robert Pattinson](http://time.com/4456629/kristen-stewart-robert-pattinson-girlfriend-alicia-cargile/). Of the anecdotes that Fanning shared, the sweetest might have been the story she shared about [Tom Cruise](http://time.com/4330095/tom-cruise-best-roles/?iid=sr-link2), who she appeared with in 2005’s [_War of the Worlds_](http://time.com/4538394/watch-tom-cruise-reenact-risky-business-top-gun-and-jerry-maguire-with-james-corden/)_._ According to Fanning, who considers Cruise a “lifelong friend,” she’s received a birthday gift from the actor every year since she was 11 years old. “He has sent me a birthday gift every year since I was 11 years old,” Fanning said. “Beautiful gifts.” Now, more than a decade later, Fanning sometimes wonders if it will stop. “I always think, ‘Oh, when I’m 18, he’ll probably stop. Oh, 21, he’ll stop. But every year. It’s really kind.” Of course, Cohen asked Fanning to divulge what these “beautiful gifts” were and surprisingly enough, the answer was fairly sensible, with Fanning revealing that “it’s usually shoes.” Here’s to Tom Cruise, action star extraordinaire and pragmatic, thoughtful gift giver. 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