Suri Cruise 'Taken Aback' by Tom Cruise in Eyeliner for Rock of Ages

06/11/2012 at 01:30 PM EDT

Tom Cruise's glam rock look for his upcoming movie Rock of Ages didn't exactly rock his daughter Suri's world – at least not initially.

"When I had the eyeliner and the painted nails, [Suri] was a little taken aback by it," Cruise told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show Monday morning. "She was like, 'What's happening to my dad?' "

"I joke with friends because she goes to [mom Katie Holmes's] sets and there's hair and makeup and they're very nice," Cruise continues. "Suri comes to my sets and she's got to wear a hard helmet. There are explosions going off. Dad is bloody. He's bruised."

Cruise, 49, who plays singer Stacee Jaxx in the film, which also costars Seacrest's girlfriend Julianne Hough, says his 6-year-old daughter's trip to Rock of Ages's set went over a bit better.



"When she shows up on [that] set," he tells Seacrest, "she really likes the singing. And here I am with black nail polish and eyeliner. She kind of takes it all in. It's cool."

Also musically-inclined: Cruise's older son, Connor, who recently deejayed at the Wango Tango concert in L.A., and has been concentrating on his music, says Tom.

"He's so focused on his music right now – and it's great to see," says Cruise. "He works very hard; when he wants to do something, he's really dedicated to it."