Hunk - or ‘unc’? What magazine covers of Michael B Jordan and Tom Cruise tell us about manhood

Covers from Vogue magazine of Michael B Jordan and Tom Cruise in GQ. Photograph: Vogue/GQ Covers from Vogue magazine of Michael B Jordan and Tom Cruise in GQ. Photograph: Vogue/GQ Men Hunk – or ‘unc’? What magazine covers of Michael B Jordan and Tom Cruise tell us about manhood Images of two actors on front of Vogue and GQ land at a time when masculinity is increasingly dominating headlines

Chloe Mac Donnell Sat 19 Sep 2026 08.00 EDT Last modified on Sat 19 Sep 2026 11.42 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google T om Cruise and Michael B Jordan share many similarities as box-office powerhouses known for their death-defying action hero stunts. But this week the two stars went head-to-head, or more accurately chest-to-chest, on magazine stands.