Connor Cruise
Gossip

What is a nice, adopted teenager to do when a press-hungry whack job named Claire Elisabeth Fields Cruise (the last name is not a coincidence) tries to say she's his real mother - and that Michael Jackson was his biological father?

For Connor Cruise, all you can do is focus on your career.

The 14-year-old budding thespian (and adopted son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, despite what Michael's insane, wannabe baby mama says in court) is signed on for his second big-screen offering, a remake of Red Dawn, the '80s action flick.

Connor's debut came as a younger version of Will Smith's character in the terrible Seven Pounds. It's good that the bar was set low for him at least!

Connor Cruise is following in his dad's footsteps. Sort of literally.

According to reports, Connor Cruise will play the son of the local mayor, who along with three friends form an unlikely insurgency against evil enemy invaders.

Tom Cruise couldn't be prouder, but since his own company, United Artists is producing the film, he probably wasn't all that surprised at this casting move.

Last night, Carmelo Anthony scored 34 points as the Denver Nuggets evened their series with the Los Angeles Lakers with a 106-103 win in Game Two.

It was a tough loss, but Kobe Bryant and the Lake Show remain the #1 game in town. Here's Tom Cruise and son Connor Cruise at last night's game:

CRUISE CONTROL: Tom and Connor are locked in on NBA action.

While Los Angeles' pro baseball team has been making a strong case of late (check out our gallery of celebrity Dodger fans), L.A. Lakers games at Staples Center remain the hottest sports spot for celebrities from A-List to Spencer Pratt.

Click to enlarge pictures of stars showing their L.A. Lakers love:

Move over, Suri Cruise. You may be just about the cutest celebrity baby around, but your dad has plenty of time and love to share with his other offspring, as well!

Tom Cruise took his son, aspiring actor Connor Cruise, 14, to the Daytona 500 in Florida on Sunday, and posed with him in some cool photos such as the one below:

It was an appropriate setting for the movie star, who looked thrilled to be there. One of Cruise's iconic roles, of course, was in the auto racing epic Days of Thunder.

Click to enlarge more pics of Tom and Connor Cruise, his adopted son with ex-wife Nicole Kidman (the former spouses also share an adopted daughter, Isabella):

A number of celebrity birthdays make this 17th of January a very special occasion for The Hollywood Gossip. After all, who would expect that the following stars (and we're using the term loosely in some cases) would share a day of birth?

People of all ages and walks of life, such as ...

... adopted son of the world's biggest movie star Connor Cruise (14)!

... Kim Kardashian sex tape (and future reality show) star Ray J (28)!

... Dancing with the Stars god and Karina Smirnoff fiance Maksim Chmerkovskiy (29)!

... faux trailer trash, Pamela Anderson ex, and Waffle House brawler Kid Rock (38)!

... incoming First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama (45)!

Which celebrity birthdays are next? Who shares yours? Click on the link to find out - and click to enlarge the pictures of today's birthday boys (and girl) above!

All three of them!

We know Suri Cruise is obsessed with the celebrity news media. Check that, the celebrity gossip media is obsessed with her. There are pictures of the cutie everywhere!

But Tom Cruise's adopted, teenage children with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, Connor Cruise and Isabella Cruise, are less frequently seen with their dad at his public events.

Below is a picture of the whole gang out and about in N.Y.C. Oh, and the guy in back is Tom's oldest son, Jonathan. Just kidding. We have no clue who that dude is.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Tom hangs with Isabella and Connor Cruise, and a tired Suri.

Tom Cruise and Connor Cruise, his 13-year-old adopted son, cheer on David Beckham with a posse of pals – including Brooklyn Beckham, 9!

David's team, the L.A. Galaxy, challenged Chivas USA last weekend at the Home Depot Center. Tom and Connor Cruise are apparently big fans.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw, as if anyone cared. Also in the house with Tom and Connor Cruise - American Idol creator and producer Simon Fuller (top right).

While Suri Cruise gets all the press, let's not forget that Tom Cruise has two teenage adopted children, Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13.

Much as we love to rip on Tom, we like that he's always spending time with these two, including over this past weekend, when he took Isabella and Connor to see his soccer star buddy, David Beckham, at the Home Depot Center ...

Tom, Connor and Isabella Cruise cheer on their man.

As we reported last week, young Connor Cruise will soon be making his film debut as a young Will Smith... or at least the young version of Will Smith's character in the upcoming drama Seven Pounds. Sounds like fun!

No word on whether they were the only fans at David Beckham's game. But here are more photos of them - and Becks shirtless - from Saturday night ...

Following in his famous, adopted parents' footsteps, Connor Cruise will make his film debut in the upcoming Will Smith drama Seven Pounds.

Connor Cruise has grown up around movie sets with mom Nicole Kidman and dad Tom Cruise, so he should be well prepared for his first role, in which he will play a younger version of Will Smith in the new movie.

Even with such famous acting mentors in his corner (Tom Cruise is also close friends with Smith), Connor Cruise had to audition for the part.

"Tom is so proud of Connor," says a source.

"He's proud of him for really doing this on his own."

A sharp-dressed Connor Cruise with his famous father, Tom Cruise.

We can only imagine that Connor's adopted sibling, 11-year-old, Isabella, and his baby half-sister, Suri Cruise, 2, are equally happy for him.

The Columbia Pictures film, which is still listed as "in production," also stars Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson.