Tom Cruise has gone back to his roots in Dublin, learning of his "hero" great-great-grandfather and Irish ancestry which stretches back 800 years.
Researchers told the star he was a direct descendant of Patrick Russell Cruise, a Robin Hood-style landlord who restored evicted tenants back to lands before the famine in Ireland.
Cruise, who was in the city to promote his new film Oblivion, was presented with a framed certificate of his "Irishness" from foreign affairs minister Eamon Gilmore.
He was told of the extent of his Irish heritage after genealogists trawled through the star's family tree to find it went back 800 years.
The actor said the story was "incredible". He said: "I knew I was Irish but I had no idea where it went and the depth of it. It goes all the way back to the twelfth century.
"It’s a great honour for me and for my whole family – I can’t wait to bring it back to them and enlighten them on their history."
During his trip, Cruise also paid a visit to the Irish Film Board and the Guinness brewery. "After I got my heritage I had to go pull myself a pint of Guinness," he said. "It was a lot of fun."
Cruise added that he would consider shooting a film in Ireland, saying: "I’d like to shoot something here, it would be lovely. We shot here for Far and Away and it was such a great experience."
Fans of Cruise might remember his disastrous Irish accent in 1992 film, in which he starred alongside ex-wife Nicole Kidman.
Oblivion, which also stars Morgan Freeman, is due for release in the UK later this month.
