Cruise: 'Don't talk about my religion'

Tom Cruise has encouraged the public to judge him by his film work and not his religious beliefs.

The actor, who has courted controversy for his involvement in the Scientology faith, told The Today Show that his comments on the religion are misinterpreted by the media.

"I'm here to entertain people," he said. "That's who I am and what I want to do. I've been a Scientologist for 25 years but I think there is a time and a place for it because things can get misunderstood and twisted.

"When people are tuning in to hear about my movie, that's what I'm here to talk about."

Cruise, who is promoting his World War II thriller Valkyrie, also confessed in the interview that he was "arrogant" to dismiss drugs and therapy as valid treatments for post-natal depression.