Tom Cruise convinced Ana de Armas is 'everything he's looking for' but insiders warn of major obstacle

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hollywood’s ultimate action star Tom Cruise has pulled off some of the most daring stunts in cinema history, but his latest challenge might be his riskiest yet.

Radar Online revealed that Cruise, 62, has been wining and dining the stunning 36-year-old actress Ana de Armas in London, allegedly dangling prime movie roles to get closer to her. But there’s one major obstacle standing in his way—her reported romance with Manuel Anido Cuesta, the 27-year-old stepson of Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Tom Cruise thinks Ana de Armas is 'everything he’s looking for'

Though Tom Cruise is presenting his pursuit as professional, insiders say he’s convinced Ana de Armas is the perfect match for him—both on-screen and off. "Tom is convinced Ana is everything he's looking for in a partner and a phenomenal actress to boot," a source spilled. "But she's still involved with Manuel, who's highly protective of her. So things could get messy."

Cruise made no secret of his admiration for Ana when the two shared a cozy Valentine's Day dinner in London’s trendy Soho district. The sighting had the rumor mills spinning about a potential romance.

But just two days later, Ana was back in Madrid to reunite with Cuesta.

Since his third marriage to Katie Holmes ended in 2012, Cruise’s love life has been a rollercoaster of rumored romances, mystery women, and near-misses. Now, he’s apparently set his sights on Ana de Armas, a woman known for her A-list connections and ability to captivate Hollywood’s most powerful leading men.

But Manuel Cuesta isn’t intimidated by Cruise’s fame. "Manuel isn't intimidated by Tom's fame. He'll definitely have something to say if Tom moves in any closer to Ana," an insider warned.

Is Ana de Armas just playing the Hollywood game?

According to insiders, the Valentine’s Day dinner wasn’t about romance—it was strictly business. Sources revealed that Ana de Armas’ most likely motivation for schmoozing with Tom Cruise was boosting her resume and securing future roles, not romance.

“Everyone was buzzing” about the pair being an “item," sources told JuicyNews. But they also noted that the speculation wasn’t entirely shocking—after all, Cruise hasn’t dated anyone seriously since his 2012 divorce from Katie Holmes.

A source told The Sun: "Of course, Tom Cruise wants to do a movie with her, she’s successfully worked with almost every one of his rivals just over the last five or six years. Ana also has that personality quirk, similar to Tom’s exes Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz, where she doesn’t give a flying f**k what people say about her or think about her."

Ana’s ability to attract top-tier leading men is undeniable. The actress has starred alongside Daniel Craig ('No Time to Die'), Ryan Gosling ('Blade Runner 2049'), Chris Evans ('Knives Out', 'The Gray Man'), Keanu Reeves ('Exposed'), and Ben Affleck ('Deep Water'—which led to their short-lived real-life romance).

Now, she’s got Tom Cruise knocking at her door.

Ana de Armas dubbed Hollywood's 'leading man whisperer'

One thing is clear: Ana de Armas has a magnetic effect on Hollywood’s most powerful men.

Another insider explained: "Ana’s been on a rocket ship in the business over the last ten years, primarily due to her easygoing personality and her incredible ability to work with these middle-aged, A-list leading men who just become totally captivated by her."

She's reportedly gained a new nickname in Hollywood: “The leading man whisperer.”

"You can legitimately call her The Leading Man Whisperer because she connects so well with these men, and some of them are 20 years older than she is," the source added.

Born in Cuba in 1988, Ana de Armas grew up without access to Hollywood films, phones, or even the internet. But that didn’t stop her from dreaming of a career on the big screen.

After finding success on Spanish television, she made her move to Hollywood in 2014, landing her breakout role in 'Knives Out.' Now, she’s one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry.