Cruise cuts probing Australian reporter short

Tom Cruise displayed a darker persona during a recent interview with an Australian TV reporter when a journalist quizzed him about his relationship with ex-wife Nicole Kidman.

The Top Gun hunk, who famously grins and giggles through tough questions, wasn't smiling when Peter Overton's probing questions "crossed a line".

After berating Overton for poking fun at his chosen religion, Scientology, Cruise got serious when the reporter asked one too many questions about his family.

When Overton posed: "Do you have a relationship where you talk... a parenting relationship and talk professionally about each other's work?" Cruise glared at his interviewer and stopped him dead in his tracks.

The movie star said: "Listen, here's the thing, Peter, you're stepping over a line now... and you know you are."

When Overton insisted he was only asking questions the public wanted to know, Cruise shot back: "Take responsibility for what you want to know... This is a conversation that I'm having with you right now. So I'm just telling you right now, OK, just put your manners back in."

Overton was quick to apologise to his guest.