Cruise says he ‘always wanted to kill Hitler’

Cruise says he ‘always wanted to kill Hitler’

SEOUL, South Korea — Tom Cruise says playing an anti-Hitler plotter in his latest movie “Valkyrie” fulfilled a childhood fantasy.

In real life, the American actor says he harbors feelings similar to his German character, who led a failed plot to assasinate the Nazi leader.

“I’ve always wanted to kill Hitler. As a child, I used to wonder why someone didn’t stand up and kill him,” Cruise told reporters in the South Korean capital Sunday.

Studying his character, would-be Hitler assassin Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, Cruise said he “came to greatly admire him.”

“Although the story takes place during the World War II, I found the story ageless,” he said. Making the movie “was a powerful experience that I will never forget.”

Despite early skepticism toward “Valkyrie,” the movie had a solid $21.5 million opening weekend in North America in December and has made a total $77.6 domestically since then, according to the box office tracking Web site Box Office Mojo.

Today’s birthdays

Singer Slim Whitman is 85. Actress Patricia Neal is 83. Comedian Arte Johnson is 80. Singer Eric Stewart (10cc, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders) is 64. Director David Lynch is 63. Guitarist Paul Stanley of Kiss is 57. Bassist Ian Hill of Judas Priest is 57. TV host Bill Maher (“Politically Incorrect”) is 53. Actor Lorenzo Lamas is 51. Actor James Denton (“Desperate Housewives”) is 46. Bassist Greg K. of The Offspring is 44. Country singer John Michael Montgomery is 44. Actor Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) is 43. Actress Stacey Dash (“Clueless”) is 42. Singer Edwin McCain is 39. Actor Skeet Ulrich (“Scream,” “As Good As It Gets”) is 39. Drummer ?uestlove of The Roots is 38. Drummer Rob Bourdon of Linkin Park is 30.