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Who knew Tom Cruise could shake it like a Polaroid picture?

Last week, he rocked audiences with his cameo as a profane, hip-jiggling, Machiavellian movie chief in ” Tropic Thunder.” The role was designed to show the world — and Hollywood insiders — that the one-time king of Hollywood didn’t take himself too seriously and even had comedic chops.

His performance was funny, but somehow as with all things Cruise these days, a black cloud emerged from the silver lining.

His tour de force was overshadowed by yet another hellish publicity week, which included debates over whether “Tropic Thunder” was degrading to the mentally disabled as well as an inaccurate story that Sony had replaced Cruise in the film “Edwin A. Salt” with “it” girl Angelina Jolie.

(According to several sources close to the project, it was Cruise who refused to commit to a start date, and his actual next film looks to be “The Tourist,” a remake of the French thriller “Anthony Zimmer,” to be directed by Lasse Hallström.)

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Like any other busy working parents, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes enjoy getting out of the house and going to the movies on date night. And on Aug. 11, when the two arrived at the LA premiere of Tropic Thunder — the new hit comedy that features a much-talked-about cameo by Tom — it was clear they intended for the evening to be a special one.

Katie, 29, who had spent the past two weeks in NYC rehearsing her Broadway play, All My Sons, flew in specially for the event. At the afterparty, an energetic Tom worked the room. But while her husband schmoozed, Katie struggled just to stay awake. “She managed to smile, but she seemed really out of it,” a guest notes. “It just looked like she hadn’t slept in a while.”

The very next morning, however, she was back at rehearsal, having flown 3,000 miles overnight to NYC. After putting in a seven-hour workday, Katie changed and headed out yet again, this time joining her 2-year-old daughter, Suri, for an evening at NYC’s Chelsea Piers gym complex. While Suri happily bounced on a trampoline, Katie had less energy. Says an onlooker, “She looked pretty groggy.”

But starring in a Broadway show is Katie’s dream come true — and she’s determined to make it work. But while Katie may get a career boost, her marriage could suffer. “Right now their lives are divided,” notes an insider. “Their relationship isn’t on shaky ground, but things definitely aren’t perfect.”

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Is Tom Cruise crossing over into the comic book realm? The Hollywood Reporter says he’s teamed up with ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy director Sam Raimi to develop a film based on DC Comics’ Sleeper.

Tom is “loosely attached” to star as a superhero operative who merges with an alien artifact and becomes invulnerable to pain — and can transfer his power to others through touch.

In the comic book, Sleeper’s hero infiltrates a villain’s den and falls in love with Miss Misery, one of the rogues he’s supposed to take down, says the Reporter.

Back in the real world of film biz, Tom remains a full parter at MGM’s United Artists, despite the fact that his producing partner Paula Wagner stepped down as CEO.

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Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes out and about with their daughter Suri after Katie leaves rehearsals for the day for her Broadway debut in ‘All My Sons’ in New York City.

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Tom Cruise’s longtime producing partner Paula Wagner is stepping down from her post as CEO of United Artists.

According to a joint statement from UA and MGM, Wagner “has decided to leave her day-to-day responsibilities and return to her first love, which is producing films.” She will continue to work on film projects with Cruise, whose role with UA will not change.

Wagner will produce films under her own independent production company and will “be attached to UA’s most exciting film properties,” and will also continue to be part owner of UA, which she helped revive in 2006 under joint partnership with Tom Cruise and MGM. Her most recent production, ‘Death Race,’ will be released by Universal on Aug. 22.

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