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Entertainment | Tom Cruise’s daughter Suri will soon be free to…

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Entertainment | tom cruise’s daughter suri will soon be free to talk about their estrangement and scientology: report, with suri cruise turning 18 this week, she should be free to speak out about her father, his beliefs and their rift, a scientology expert says in a new report.

Tom Cruise’s three ex-wives, Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes, probably would have a lot to say about being married to the famously intense mega-star and their time inside his beloved Church of Scientology.

But these women have mostly kept Cruise’s secrets, with experts in the inner workings of Scientology saying that Kidman and Holmes, in particular, probably signed non-disclosure agreements when their marriages to the “Top Gun” actor ended.

But no such agreement probably applies to Cruise’s youngest child, Suri Cruise, from whom he’s long been estranged, Page Six reported . With Suri turning 18 on Thursday, she and her mother Katie Holmes should no longer receive the reported $400,000 a year Cruise paid as part of a divorce settlement. Cruise also agreed to pay Suri’s college and health care costs, Page Six added.

As an adult, Suri Cruise should be free to speak out about her father, his beliefs and their rift, journalist and Scientology expert Tony Ortega told Page Six.

“Suri would have been too young to sign any agreement (when her parents divorced in 2012), but she will now be free to talk if she wants to and it’s going to be really interesting if she has something to say,” Ortega said.

Page Six said that representatives for Cruise, Holmes and the Church of Scientology did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

It’s possible that Suri may choose to stay silent about her famous father. For one thing, if she gave an interview or published a tell-all about him, she’d probably have to give up the mostly private life she’s been able to enjoy thus far. People credit a protective Holmes with trying to give Suri as normal life as is possible under the circumstances, while raising her in New York City.

“Katie has safeguarded Suri and she’s a devoted mom,” a source told Page Six. “This is a girl who is a private citizen. She hasn’t lived her life in public.”

Suri’s life, though, started out in a very public way. As Page Six pointed out, she was once “the most famous baby in America” because of the very high-profile way that Cruise conducted his courtship of the “Dawson’s Creek” star, who was 16 years younger that Cruise when they began dating. When news came that Cruise and Holmes had become parents to a baby daughter in April 2006, a global frenzy erupted, with media outlets competing to be the first to publish the little girl’s photos.

At the age of five months, Suri Cruise made her debut on the cover of Vanity Fair, in a glossy photo taken by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.

For the first six years of Suri’s life, Cruise seemed to dote on his youngest daughter and enjoy being seen with her in public. He also is the father of two older children, Isabella, now 31, and Connor Cruise, now 29, whom he adopted with Kidman.

But Suri’s relationship with her father changed after Holmes reportedly “blindsided” him by filing for divorce in 2012. The following year, Cruise gave a deposition in his $50 million court fight against a pair of tabloid magazines and admitted that Holmes filed for divorce “to protect Suri from Scientology,” court documents revealed, Page Six reported.

There have been questions about whether Holmes and her daughter were declared Scientology “suppressive persons,” or SPs, after the divorce. According to Scientology , SPs are people who have “anti-social” personalities who seek to “upset, continuously undermine, spread bad news about and denigrate betterment activities and groups.” Scientology recommends that members stay away from SPs for their own well-being, but the church’s own website said it is “extremely rare” to label someone an SP.

“We don’t know for sure if Katie was ever declared an SP,” Ortega told Page Six. A regular church member, whose wife and daughter left Scientology, would be encouraged to disconnect from them, but Cruise might have been spared that option because of his “top celebrity” status. “He gets to ignore all this stuff,” Ortega said.

In any case, Holmes secured sole custody of their daughter, while Cruise retained “meaningful” visitation rights, according to The Blast . Yet, public sightings of Cruise with his daughter soon dwindled, with Page Six saying they were last seen together at Disney World in the summer of 2012.

Even if Suri has lived a mostly private life, paparazzi are known to follow her and her mother Katie Holmes around the streets of Manhattan. Still, as Suri reportedly prepares to head off to college, Holmes revealed in a 2023 interview with Glamour that she has grown up to be “an incredible person.”

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Tom Cruise's Daughter Suri Is Reportedly 'Free To Talk' About Scientology As She Turns 18

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Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes ' daughter, Suri Cruise , has lived a sheltered life away from her father's Scientology beliefs and public scrutiny. However, as she turns 18, she faces the decision to either embrace fame or remain private.

According to a Scientology journalist, Suri becoming an adult in New York will also allow her the freedom to speak about her father and the church of Scientology.

Katie Holmes Has 'Safeguarded' Suri Cruise From Public Scrutiny And Scientology

Suri has enjoyed a predominantly sheltered upbringing in Manhattan, shielded from the limelight by her devoted and fiercely protective mother, Holmes.

The teenager has been mostly kept away from her father, Cruise, and his religious organization, the Church of Scientology. According to a source who spoke to Page Six , the "Mission: Impossible" star hasn't seen his daughter since 2012.

"Katie has safeguarded Suri and she's a devoted mom," the source said. "This is a girl who is a private citizen. She hasn't lived her life in public."

With Suri's eighteenth birthday around the corner, questions arise on whether she plans to return to the spotlight or maintain her private life.

At the time of Holmes and Cruise's divorce, the actress was rumored to have signed various non-disclosure agreements, potentially restricting her from discussing her marriage to Cruise and her experiences within the Church of Scientology.

However, Suri, who will attain legal adulthood in New York State as she turns 18, has the freedom to speak openly about her father and his beliefs as she was too young to sign any NDAs during her parent's divorce.

Suri Cruise Is 'Free To Talk' About Scientology If She Wants

Speaking to the news outlet, Tony Ortega , a seasoned Scientology journalist, shared: "Suri would have been too young to sign any agreement, but she will now be free to talk if she wants to and it's going to be really interesting if she has something to say."

As Cruise is one of Scientology's prominent members, possibly second only to its leader, David Miscavige, Ortega raised questions about potential repercussions that Holmes and Suri could face.

"Regular members who quit are declared 'suppressive persons (SP),' and those who stay in Scientology are told to completely cut them off," he noted. "We don't know for sure if Katie was ever declared an SP."

Ortega added, "If you are a regular church member you could be told to disconnect from your wife and daughter, but because Tom is a celebrity — he's the top celebrity — he gets to ignore all this stuff. Your average member would be kicked out, but David Miscavige can't do that with Tom."

Former Scientologists Mike Rinder and Jeff Augustine echo Ortega's concerns about Scientology's influence on familial relationships and speculate on the treatment of Holmes and Suri within the church.

Augustine told the outlet, "The situation with Suri is a larger story about Scientology and the subject of how they make people no longer useful to them or threats to them non-persons. It's like they cease to exist and that's what happened to Suri."

Rinder particularly emphasized Suri's autonomy, asserting: "Suri is not a Scientologist and never will be…she deserves love and sympathy."

Tom Cruise Admits Katie Holmes Filed For Divorce To 'Protect Suri From Scientology'

According to Page Six , during a deposition in a legal battle against tabloid magazines in November 2013, Cruise disclosed that Holmes had filed for divorce "to protect Suri from Scientology."

However, despite their estrangement, Cruise, with an estimated fortune of $600 million, committed to providing financial support to Holmes and Suri as per their divorce settlement.

He reportedly agreed to an annual payment of $400,000 until Suri reaches 18, alongside covering various expenses, including "medical, dental, insurance, education, college and other extracurricular costs."

Holmes also secured sole custody of their daughter, while Cruise retained "meaningful" visitation rights. Yet, public sightings of Cruise with his daughter have dwindled over the years, with sources suggesting Cruise has a diminishing role in Suri's life despite legal arrangements.

Tom Cruise And Katie Holmes' Marriage Was Strained Because Of Scientology

Cruise first famously professed his love for Holmes in May 2005, leaping on Oprah Winfrey's couch and yelling, "I'm in love!"

The former lovebirds reportedly tied the knot in a lavish Scientologist ceremony in Italy in 2006.

However, as time passed, insiders revealed that the "Batman Begins" actress was feeling increasingly stifled by Cruise's ties to the church of Scientology, which caused a strain in their relationship.

Six years after they tied the knot, Holmes initiated divorce proceedings, aided by her father, Martin Holmes, a powerful divorce attorney.

Employing covert tactics, including the use of burner phones, Holmes allegedly "blindsided" Cruise with the divorce filing while he filmed "Oblivion" in Iceland in June 2012.

Tom Cruise Says He 'Always Wanted To Be A Father' And 'Be There' For His Children

Growing up as the only daughter of a devoted single parent presents a stark contrast from the beginnings of Suri's life.

Born on  April 18, 2006, the teenager was initially thrust into the limelight as America's most famous baby and was even captured by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.

In the same year of Suri's birth, Cruise confessed to Vanity Fair  that he "always wanted to be a father."

He added, "I always said to myself that my children would be able to depend on me and I would always be there for them and love them — that I'd never make a promise to my kids that I couldn't keep."

"I'm not one of those people who believe you can spoil a child with too much love. You can never give a child too much love. There's just no way," he added.

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The Untold Truth Of Suri Cruise

It's risky business being a celebrity baby, especially when your parents are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Perhaps it was the unexpectedness of Maverick from "Top Gun" and Joey from "Dawson's Creek" getting hitched and having a child together that made Suri Cruise an object of fascination while she was still in the womb — and the obsession just kept intensifying after she made her public debut on a  Vanity Fair  cover in 2006.

The obsession also took some odd turns. Have you ever stopped to wonder what became of the bronze sculpture inspired by Suri's "first poop?" Or whether the snarky blog inspired by TomKat's TomKitten, Suri's Burn Book , still exists? Well, the poo statue was purchased by the online casino Golden Palace for $10,000 and put on display in its museum of oddities, and the blog was last updated in 2020 with a photo of Suri wearing a "Vote" T-shirt.

You might also recall that Tom used to talk about his daughter often during her early years, like when he told Esquire that he entertained her with scripts rather than storybooks. "I'll start with the beginning of the movie and take her through the story beat by beat. Of course, I make it age-appropriate. She's four years old. But she asks all the right questions," he said. There are so many other compelling Suri stories to tell, so do you want her untold truth? Well, read on if you think you can handle her untold truth.

Suri Cruise shares her birthday with another celebrity baby

When Katie Holmes gave birth to Suri Cruise at St. John's Hospital on April 18, 2006, another expectant star was there awaiting the arrival of her little one: Brooke Shields. The model initially thought the helicopters hovering around outside were there for her. "I was like, 'This is an outrage! Who alerted the media? Can I just have a baby?'" Shields recalled on " The Jenny McCarthy Show ." A nurse set her straight by saying, "Honey, it's not for you." If only Suri's Burn Book had existed back then.

Shields' lookalike daughter, Grier Henchy , was born on the same day as Suri. Because Tom Cruise and Shields were able to make nice after their depression meds disagreement, Suri reportedly scored an invite to Grier's first birthday party the following year. According to  People , the two tots became such close confidants that they started hanging out regularly and wearing matching clothes. "Suri and Grier love spending time together. They even nap in the same crib," an insider dished.

By 2008, Suri had made friends with a few other celebrity offspring. People reported that she and her parents spent Thanksgiving that year with David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, and their four children. David and Victoria's son Cruz is just one year older than Suri, and it didn't take long for the National Enquirer to conjure up a story about Suri crushing on Cruz. "She lights up whenever he's around," a source told the tabloid.

The fashionista was her family's style supervisor

Perhaps you noticed that Suri Cruise was usually wearing skirts and dresses back when she was papped on the reg. According to her dad, there was a reason for this. "I'd put a pair of pants on her and the next minute I'd turn around and the pants are off and a dress is on," Tom Cruise told Grazia (via X17 ) in 2008. Apparently, Suri also found her mom's taste in trousers questionable. In a 2011 interview with Elle (via Huffpost ), Kate Holmes revealed, "Today I'm wearing brown suede pants, and [Suri] said, 'I don't like your pants.'" She was lucky that Suri let her be seen out in public in them. "She won't let me leave unless I'm wearing what she wants me to wear," Holmes said on "Live with Regis and Kelly" in 2010 (via OK! ). Tom Cruise told Oprah that Suri often picked out his outfits, too.

The red dress Holmes wore to the 2008 Met Gala seemingly met Suri's approval, but her choice of footwear did not. When allowed to work her magic, Holmes' mini-stylist settled on a pair of blue heels with pointy toes. "Suri made me put them on and so I was like, 'Okay, I trust you," Holmes recalled in a 2010 New York Magazine interview. The Met Gala theme that year was "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," so perhaps the then-two-year-old realized that the red-and-blue combo would give her mom's look a Wonder Woman vibe.

She attended a school founded by a celeb couple

In 2011, Suri Cruise started kindergarten at the New Village Leadership Academy (NVLA) in Calabasas, a private school with some famous founders: Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith . Students were reportedly allowed the luxury of learning at their own pace, which was a big benefit for a busy jet-setter like Suri; it meant that she could play hooky to attend New York Fashion Week with Katie Holmes without having to worry about getting behind in her studies.

There were whispers that the NVLA had ties to the Church of Scientology. In an interview with the Daily Beast , ex-Scientologist Leah Remini called it "a Scientology school," and former teachers claimed that students were taught using Scientology materials and methods. However, a rep for the NVLA told X17 that the academy was unaffiliated with Tom Cruise's religion. Jada didn't deny that the school's curriculum was heavily influenced by Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's Study Technology teaching technique, but in a 2009 email to ABC News , she insisted, "Study Technology is a secular methodology."

There was speculation that Suri's schooling factored into TomKat's split. "[Suri] is coming to an age where she gets educated enough to get locked into the faith," a former Scientology official explained to the Independent in 2012 after Holmes filed for divorce . That same year, Holmes enrolled Suri in Avenues, a pricey Manhattan private school. A year after it lost its star pupil, the NVLA shut down.

Suri Cruise was bottle and binky-shamed

In 2008, some tabloids had readers questioning whether it was wrong for 2-year-old Suri Cruise to still be drinking out of a baby bottle. "Aren't you a bit old for that bottle, Suri Cruise?" read the title of a Daily Mail article that the toddler definitely read. ABC News , meanwhile, reminded its readers that the recommended age for eliminating bottle-feeding is 12 months and consulted with a medical professional who said that prolonged bottle use can cause dental problems. Suri was still hitting the bottle in 2009 — but this time, the 3-year-old thumbed her nose at the Suri-shamers by guzzling down some Pellegrino . The posh tot was even gripping her glass bottle with one hand.

Critics found another reason to pounce on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes for their parenting decisions in 2011 when Suri was photographed with a pacifier in her mouth. She was five years old at the time, and pediatrician Dr. Ari Brown told Fox News that it was a bad idea for kids her age to still be using a binky because they might develop a bad habit. "They don't explore with hands, but instead put everything in their mouth and are therefore picking up a lot more germs," Brown said. Perhaps this explains why Suri was spotted gnawing on one of her flip-flops.

Sorry to Suri's haters, but she actually became a trendsetter; two other celeb kids, Harper Beckham and Moroccan Cannon , also used pacifiers past age 4.

Katie Holmes had to defend Suri Cruise's fashion choices

Suri Cruise taught us some valuable style lessons when her age was still in the single digits, such as how an Elmo doll is the ideal accessory for a red $285 Dolce and Gabbana coat. But one person who wasn't impressed with Suri's style was "Project Runway" host Tim Gunn. "She's her mother and father's dress up doll and I feel in many ways she's a fashion victim," he told Access (via Today ) in 2010. He also said of Suri's famous toddler-sized high heels, "It's really inappropriate."

At age three, Suri misstepped on a wet Boston sidewalk and lost a silver heel. "Are you sure you're ready for heels, Suri?" the Daily Mail asked. After seeing photographs of Suri's Cinderella moment, podiatrist Dr. Oliver Zong told Fox News that her choice of footwear put her at risk of being injured. "A pair of heels that is too tight could damage the growing bones of her feet," he added. However, Katie Holmes told Access that Suri's shoes were designed to be safer to move in than your average heel. "They are actually ballroom dancing shoes for kids," she said.

Holmes also had to explain photos of Suri looking cold without a coat in freezing weather. She told InStyle that her daughter had simply refused to wear any of her many designer jackets. "I said, 'Suri, I'll take the hit. Just put it on when you get cold,'" she recalled (via E! ).

Why she was photographed with age-inappropriate sweets

In 2011, Suri Cruise was photographed holding a box of candies that you might see used as a garnish for a naughty cocktail at a bachelorette party. The label on the box clearly said "Penis Gummies," an accurate description of the sweets' anatomical shapes. Katie Holmes was carrying Suri when the little girl grabbed the box from a shelf where other similar novelty items were displayed.

Holmes and her daughter were at the popular New York restaurant Serendipity 3, which is known for its decadent desserts; perhaps you've heard of its $1000 Golden Opulence Sundae, which is coated with gold leaf instead of a chocolate shell. During an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Holmes said she was unaware that the eatery sold X-rated sweets as well. "We're waiting for a table, and she grabs some gummies that are 'boy part' gummies, and I was horrified!" she recalled (via Radar ). 

Holmes claimed that Serendipity 3 is a kid-oriented establishment, but Joe Calderone, a rep for the restaurant, told Radar that this is untrue. He also expressed concern that the gummies incident would make Holmes reticent to bring Suri there again. "Suri is the cutest and so well behaved and she's a princess," he said. However, she's also been photographed screaming over ice cream and sporting smeared chocolate on her face, so Holmes probably should have made sure to always keep a watchful eye over young Suri whenever there were sweets in the vicinity.

She was a big Disney princess fan

When Suri Cruise was born, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' spokesperson released a statement saying that one meaning for her unique name is "princess," and she certainly lived up to her monicker. Suri made her first visit to Disneyland in 2009, and Holmes said that getting to meet Disney royalty was a highlight of the experience for the child. "She loves the princesses," she told Us Weekly . "Actually, she loves being a princess."

Suri got the princess treatment for her third birthday that year when her parents presented her with a "Beauty and the Beast" cake, and she rocked a Princess Belle hoodie over a Princess Jasmine costume during a 2013 trip to Disney World in Florida. The year prior, her dad had arranged for her to have the ultimate Disney princess fan experience: staying in the theme park's Cinderella's Castle Suite. According to People , the suite can't be reserved by anyone, so Tom likely had to receive a special invitation from Disney.

According to Tom's "Knight and Day" castmate Cameron Diaz, young Suri didn't just admire the House of Mouse's royal family. "Suri does know I'm Princess Fiona. I'm not going to speak for her, but yes, I think she does [love Shrek]," Diaz told People (via the Belfast Telegraph ) in 2010. But by 2016, Suri was embracing democracy over monarchy; on " Today Show Radio ," Holmes said that it pained her little princess that Hillary Clinton had lost the presidential election.

She lost her dog after pouting over a puppy

In July 2012, a seriously sad moment for Suri Cruise was immortalized by the intrusive lens of the pack of paparazzi that trail her everywhere. The Daily Mail published photos of Suri pouting as she was seemingly told that she couldn't take home an adorable puppy from Citipup in NYC. She reportedly left the pet store in tears, and just think of the life of luxury that poor pup missed out on when Katie Holmes taught her daughter that she can't have everything that she wants.

It turns out that Holmes couldn't hold out forever. However, she decided to adopt, not shop, when she allowed Suri to welcome a new fur baby into their home in 2014. Unfortunately, Suri's rescue Chihuahua, Honey, went missing mere weeks after her adoption. According to TMZ , Honey escaped through a gate while Suri was swimming with her at the Beverly Hills home of a friend. Desperate to be reunited with her beloved dog, Suri put posters up in the neighborhood promising a reward of $1,000 for her safe return.

Don't worry — this lost pet story has a happy ending. The employees of a local dog rescue found the lucky pooch just a few days after she went missing, per TMZ , and as of 2020, Suri was still being a responsible dog owner by taking Honey and another cute canine out for walks.

She discovered a passion for performing

By age three, Suri Cruise had already started taking tap dancing and ballet lessons. "I think she's going to do a lot of different things. She's an amazing athlete, singer, and dancer, and I think she'll probably be an actress," her mom predicted to InStyle in 2011 (via Today ). She reportedly made at least one attempt at learning how to play an instrument as well. A source told Page Six that Suri spoke to Broadway actor Alex Brightman after watching him perform in "School of Rock: The Musical" in 2016, and she told him that she tried taking guitar lessons at some point. However, she ended up firing her instructor. "She said she was 'a very nice person,' but that it didn't work out," the insider revealed.

In 2014, Katie Holmes spoke to People about the nurturing home environment she had created for Suri. "I also try to be very creative with her, because I know she's an artist," she said. There was some evidence that the loving mom's emphasis on the arts was paying off in December 2023 when Suri landed a major role in a school play. According to Page Six , she was cast in "The Addams Family: A New Musical" as Morticia Addams, a role previously immortalized by Carolyn Jones, Anjelica Huston, Daryl Hannah, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. "She was amazing," said one play attendee. Perhaps Holmes's prediction about her daughter's future profession is spot-on.

Was Suri Cruise spoiled as a young child?

Perhaps because her parents have admitted to indulging at least some of her whims, there have been many rumors about just how lavish Suri Cruise's life really is. "Whatever she wants to wear, she wears it. I'm not going to tell her different," Tom Cruise said on "Oprah." And in 2008, a source told E! News that Suri didn't just do as she pleased when it came to picking out her trendy apparel. "[Tom] does whatever Suri wants. He defers to her on everything," the insider claimed. According to a 2010 report by Star Magazine (via Hollywood Life ), Suri's nannies also had to let her have her way, from allowing her to practice her makeup application skills on their faces to serving her sweets in the middle of the night.

While tabloid tales aren't always true, there is photographic evidence that Suri's parents didn't treat her like a typical toddler; instead of toting around an inexpensive purse from the toy section of a big-box retailer, she was bringing a Salvatore Ferragamo handbag worth $750 with her on a helicopter trip. But according to Holmes, her daughter doesn't spend all day shopping and ordering nannies around. "If she doesn't get her chores done, I notice she's not really herself," she told Marie Claire in 2010. "She has to make her bed, she has to take her dishes to the sink, she has to put her clothes in the laundry."

The last time she was seen with her dad

One month after Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's five-year marriage ended in 2012, Tom took Suri Cruise to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park in Florida. He was photographed being an attentive dad during the outing — there were smiles aplenty as he and Suri splashed around in a pool, and he made their time together even more fun by tossing her up in the air. In 2016,  Us Weekly  reported that the father and daughter hadn't been spotted together again since then.

When Tom took Bauer Media Group to court over an In Touch report claiming that he had "abandoned" Suri, he was forced to admit that his involvement with the Church of Scientology was a contributing factor in Holmes' decision to divorce him. According to The Hollywood Reporter , he confirmed in a 2013 deposition that Holmes felt like she needed to shield Suri from the religion. 

While Holmes has remained tight-lipped about Tom's relationship with Suri — or lack thereof — she did make the unusual move of having her rep deny a 2014 report claiming that Suri had visited her dad on Christmas Day. "[Holmes] and Suri spent Christmas afternoon visiting children at a local hospital in L.A.," the rep told E! News . Almost a decade later, a source told Page Six that Suri and her father were still estranged and had been for a long while.

Her mom took advantage of her singing talent

When Suri Cruise was just two years old, Tom Cruise told Extra that she was fond of singing. In an alternate universe, maybe the father and daughter would have performed together in a "Rock of Ages" sequel — in an interview with the Mirror, Cruise did say that one reason he wanted to play a rocker is because Suri and her mom both love musicals (via NDTV ). But it was Katie Holmes who would eventually convince Suri to showcase her vocal talent in one of her projects.

Suri sings the wistful classic "Blue Moon" in "Alone Together," a 2022 film written and directed by her mom. However, she doesn't appear in the movie; her vocals are featured in its opening credits. In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment , Holmes praised her daughter's performance by giving her the type of effusive compliment that will make teens roll their eyes. "I always want the highest level of talent, so I asked her!" the proud mom gushed.

The end credits of Holmes' 2023 movie "Rare Objects" also feature Suri's singing, and if her mom gets her way, we'll be hearing a lot more of it in the future. "I hope she always does something on my films," Holmes told Glamour . "I always ask her. ... It was very meaningful to me to have her there, because she's my heart."

Suri Cruise is a Swiftie

There was once a rumor that Taylor Swift was going to star alongside Tom Cruise in "Rock of Ages," but it was Katie Holmes that she ended up working with. After starring alongside Swift in the 2014 movie "The Giver," Holmes had nothing but praise for the pop powerhouse. "She is awesome ... I love that girl," she told Extra . "I just think she is so smart. She's so young, really brilliant and works very, very hard." In other words, she's exactly the type of role model a mom would want her tween to have.

We're betting that Holmes scored some major brownie points with Suri when she allowed her to help introduce Swift to the crowd at Z100 New York's 2017 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball, per ET . For the occasion, Suri wore a blue star-print dress that looked like something Swift herself might pick out. While holding hands with her daughter, Holmes said, "She's one of our favorite performers and who is it tonight?" Suri then enthused, "Taylor Swift!"

Suri might be angling for a Girl Squad spot these days, but there was a time when the apparent pop music fan was all about that girl power. Thanks to her mom's friendship with Victoria Beckham, she got to meet the Spice Girls in 2007. The girl group even performed for Suri, Holmes, and Tom Cruise. "Suri danced along to the music," read a post on the band's website .

Suri Cruise has seen Dawson's Creek

Katie Holmes didn't wait for Suri Cruise's high school years to be over to show her "Dawson's Creek." Holmes was 18 when she began playing Joey Potter in the hit teen soap, and Suri was approaching that age when she was forced to confront the burning question: Team Dawson or Team Pacey? Holmes told Variety that Suri started watching the series sometime after the pandemic hit, so she was either 13 or 14. "I think it's probably weird since she's a teenager," Holmes said. "I'm not like, 'You need to watch mommy's work.'" (Remember, Holmes used to date her co-star Joshua Jackson, so that had to add an extra layer of weirdness to Suri's viewing experience.) Some teens might react to watching their mom pretend to fall in love and lust by becoming unbearably embarrassed, but Holmes recalled, "We had a good laugh about it."

Before Suri decided to check out a TV time capsule of the late '90s and early aughts, she became a big fan of a far different entertainment genre: movie musicals. One of her favorites starred a famous Scientologist who was not her father. "My daughter has seen ["Hairspray"] 15 times," Tom Cruise told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. Suri also loved watching the 1999 made-for-TV "Annie" movie. Recalling a conversation he had with Holmes, one of the film's stars, Victor Garber, said to People (via Huffpost ), "She's seen it sixty times because of her daughter."

She enjoys doing many activities with her mom

Katie Holmes' relationship with Suri Cruise is the stuff that dramedies about an unbreakable mother-daughter bond are made of. "I love her so much," Holmes told InStyle (via People ). "My biggest goal has always been to nurture her into her individuality. To make sure she is 100 percent herself and strong, confident, and able."

Holmes and Suri are pretty inseparable. They've attended many Broadway shows together, including "Cats" and "Finding Neverland," and sometimes Holmes takes her daughter backstage to meet the casts of the plays. Don't think for a second that Suri is growing out of wanting to spend time with her mom, either; she was photographed helping Holmes celebrate her 45th birthday in 2023.

When Holmes opens up about what she and Suri enjoy doing together, she often describes activities they do at home. In a 2013 Us Weekly interview, she shared that she and Suri like to make their own bouquets for Valentine's Day, and she told Amazing Magazine (via the Daily Mail ) that they cooked and worked on quilts during lockdown. She and Suri even exercise together sometimes. "But I don't force her to work out with me because I know that's lame," Holmes said in a 2022 interview with Shape . In addition to being Suri's bestie, Holmes tries to be a good mom by leading by example. She told People , "Between tickle fights and glitter art, I try to throw in some manners along the way."

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Experts believe suri cruise may have ‘something to say’ about scientology soon.

by Delilah Gray

Delilah Gray

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“Suri would have been too young to sign any agreement, but she will now be free to talk if she wants to, and it’s going to be really interesting if she has something to say,” he said, adding that it depends on two factors: if Katie Holmes has been dubbed a “suppressive person” and if Cruise will reach out to Suri when she turns 18.

“Regular members who quit are declared ‘suppressive persons (SP),’ and those who stay in Scientology are told to completely cut them off. We don’t know for sure if Katie was ever declared an SP,” Ortega said, also adding that Scientologists typically can’t speak to those in your family who aren’t Scientologists. However, apparently, Tom can ignore this.

For those who don’t know, Holmes and Cruise welcomed Suri, 17, on April 18, 2006, with her ex-husband Tom.

On April 18, 2024, Suri will be 18, which will not only mean that she’ll be an adult, out and about in her next life step, but Cruise’s monthly support payments may stop. It’s been reported that the Mission Impossible star’s child support payments are reported to total just over $33,000 per month, totaling around $400,000 per year.

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Suri Cruise Turns 18, Remains Estranged From Dad Tom: ‘Not a Scientologist, Never Will Be’

Suri Cruise, a rare “nepo baby” who stayed out of the spotlight during her formative years, will soon turn 18. The daughter of veteran actor Tom Cruise and Dawson Creek’s Katie Holmes , older readers might remember Suri as a famous baby in the late aughts.

For many, the once-famous baby coming of age marks the cruel passage of time.

As if my sore knees and incoming grey hairs weren’t enough, Suri Cruise is EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD. pic.twitter.com/MfAWuS6VG5 — Lindy 🧧🐉 (@AreyouthereZod) March 25, 2024

The birth of Suri on April 18, 2006, ignited worldwide excitement for the first look at the celebrity tyke. Just five months later, she made her official debut to the world on the cover of Vanity Fair , held by her parents in photos by famous photographer Annie Leibovitz.

However, despite the fanfare surrounding her birth, Suri quietly stepped away from the limelight. She has never been interviewed and rarely makes public appearances.

Upon reaching 18, Suri Cruise stands at a crossroads. Does she revisit the fame of her childhood or persist in her life away from the public eye?

Brought up in Manhattan under the watchful eye of her mother, Katie Holmes, following Holmes’ separation from Tom Cruise, Suri has been largely insulated from media scrutiny and the influence of her father’s Church of Scientology.

Suri Has Reportedly Not Seen Her Father, Tom Cruise, in Over a Decade

An industry source reportedly told Page Six that Tom Cruise has not seen his daughter Suri since 2012. “Katie has safeguarded Suri and she’s a devoted mom,” the insider told the outlet. “This is a girl who is a private citizen. She hasn’t lived her life in public.”

Indeed, it seemed that Tom Cruise had no issue with Suri being in the spotlight occasionally. He was already a father to two adopted children, Bella, now 31, and Connor, now 29, from his marriage with Nicole Kidman. The Interview with the Vampire star appeared content to showcase Suri to the paparazzi.

At six, Suri became central to a major life change when Holmes, aided by her father, a formidable attorney Martin Holmes, filed for divorce from Cruise after six years of marriage.

This carefully orchestrated move used burner phones and reportedly surprised Cruise while he was filming Oblivion in Iceland in June 2012. Tom and Suri were last publicly spotted together at Disney World during the summer of 2012.

Despite seemingly having no personal relationship with his daughter, Tom Cruise did financially support her over the years.

Under their divorce agreement, Tom agreed to pay Katie Holmes $400,000 annually for child support until Suri turned 18. He also consented to cover medical, dental, insurance, education, and extracurricular costs.

Inside Tom Cruise's Relationship With His Daughter Suri Now

If you're a fan of going to the movies, odds are you've seen at least one Tom Cruise project. The "Mission: Impossible" star is absurdly famous around the world. As a result, many parts of his life have played out in very public ways on very public stages. 

Cruise is also a dad to three children. He shares his oldest, Isabella and Connor, with ex-wife Nicole Kidman , and his youngest, Suri , with ex-wife Katie Holmes. While it's clear that Cruise has a great relationship with Isabella and Connor, and both children are active members of his Scientology faith (per The U.S. Sun ), it's less clear what kind of relationship — if any — that he has with Suri. In fact, when Holmes and Cruise divorced, he affirmed that Holmes' desire to keep Suri out of the Scientology faith was a factor in their split (per HuffPost ).

The last public photos of Cruise and Suri date all the way back to 2012, when the two were snapped visiting Disneyland (per Yahoo! ). Here's a look into Tom Cruise's relationship with Suri and where it stands today.

Tom Cruise was so excited about Katie's pregnancy that he bought a sonogram machine

Like a lot of expectant parents, Tom Cruise was ecstatic about the impending arrival of his third child, Suri Cruise. In fact, he was so excited about Suri that he reportedly bought his own ultrasound machine so that he could see her every day. Cruise told Barbara Walters about the purchase, which can cost up to $200,000 (per  BBC News ). He seemed to understand that the purchase was on the lavish end, as he reassured people that the machine would be donated to a hospital after Katie Holmes gave birth.

However, not everyone thought the act was a great idea. In fact, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine issued a statement condemning the act, noting that the buy bordered on abusing the equipment. President Lennard Greenbaum, MD, said, in part, that "Tom Cruise's recent purchase of an ultrasound machine for personal use at home is both inappropriate and in violation of FDA rules addressing the sale of medical equipment."

Tom Cruise described his daughter Suri's birth as 'spiritual'

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes welcomed Suri Cruise on April 18, 2006 . From all accounts, and especially from Cruise's, Suri's arrival into the world was fairly extraordinary. In fact, only a few days after her birth, Cruise described the experience to "20/20" and still seemed in awe of everything he witnessed (via ABC News ). He said, "It was everything that we wanted it to be. ... It was spiritual. It was powerful. It was indescribable."

Plenty of outlets shared news of Suri's birth, as public interest in the newborn was quite high. CBS News  noted that Suri weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and clocked in at 20 inches long. A representative for Cruise and Holmes also shared information about her name, noting that Suri has Hebrew origins and can mean "princess," as well as Persian roots, which could give her name the meaning "red rose." 

Notably, Cruise and Holmes were also able to leave their home to head to the hospital in private, which was quite a feat considering the vast amount of attention they were receiving at the time.

Tom Cruise and Suri Cruise appeared to have a good relationship until 2012

In 2004, a then-engaged Katie Holmes admitted to Seventeen that she had once fantasized about marrying Tom Cruise (per HuffPost ). Fast-forward a few years, and Holmes found herself walking away from the very marriage she once said she wanted.

From all appearances, Tom Cruise and daughter Suri had a solid parent-child relationship up until 2012. That was the year that Katie Holmes filed for divorce in a move that apparently surprised Cruise. While speaking to German TV network ProSieben (via CBS News ), he admitted that he didn't see the divorce coming at all, saying, "I didn't expect it." He added, "Life is a tragicomedy. You need to have a sense of humor."

It seems that after he recovered from the shock of his wife of six years wanting a divorce, he bounced back pretty quickly. InStyle noted that the two were able to work through their divorce pretty quickly, with a settlement being reached after only 11 days. 

He admitted that Katie Holmes left him to 'protect' Suri from Scientology

While Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have been pretty quiet when it comes for the exact hows and whys of their divorce, when pushed, Cruise definitely let something slip: One of big reasons Holmes said she wanted a divorce was reportedly to "protect" their daughter, Suri, from Cruise's religion, Scientology . The admission came out during his deposition during a libel lawsuit he filed against a tabloid. When asked if Holmes felt she had to protect Suri by leaving the relationship, as reported by  HuffPost , he first replied that the question was "offensive" and that "there is no need to protect my daughter from my religion," before saying, "Did she say that? That was one of the assertions, yes."

On top of that, Cruise also admitted that Suri was no longer a practicing member of the religion (per TMZ ). While HuffPost asserts this means Suri has now been deemed a "suppressive person" in the eyes of the Church of Scientology, there have been no public statements made to that effect. Notably, "suppressive" people are often, if not always, "cut off" from those that are still active members of Scientology.

Tom Cruise was not awarded custody of Suri

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes hammered out the details of their divorce settlement in 11 days (per InStyle ), which is pretty remarkable. Surprisingly to many, Cruise was not awarded custody of the pair's daughter, Suri Cruise, at all, and instead walked away from the discussions with visitation rights only. In fact, Tom Cruise was told he can visit with Suri up to 10 days a month, according to Us Weekly .

Cruise also committed to a fairly hefty sum for child support, and TMZ reported that he pays over $33,000 a month for Suri's care. While that's noting to sniff at, it's a far cry from the sum a judge could have probably ordered him to pay if the divorce had gone to court, especially as his overall net worth is believed to be approximately $600 million (per Celebrity Net Worth ). Cruise is also in charge of covering any necessary expenses Suri might rack up, including medical and dental insurance, schooling, and college, and he also funds extracurricular activities (per TMZ).

It sounds like Tom Cruise doesn't always see Suri in person

Even though the custody agreement struck between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes makes it clear that he can see their daughter, Suri Cruise, for 10 days a month, it seems like he hasn't been able to make that happen. On top of that, a source apparently close to the situation told Us Weekly that this seems to be a deliberate choice that Cruise is making. The source told the publication, "Every person is allowed to see their child if they wanted to. He chooses not to because she is not a Scientologist."

Outspoken critic of Scientology Tony Ortega spoke to Us Weekly about what might be going on behind closed doors, explaining that it's possible Holmes signed a document agreeing not to speak badly of the religion in order to get full custody. Ortega added that Holmes only had one objective: to take care of Suri. He said, "She wanted to get away and she wanted to get Suri."

In 2013, Tom Cruise admitted he hadn't seen Suri Cruise for 100 days

Things only got messier for Tom Cruise in the year after his divorce was finalized. In 2013, he admitted that he hadn't seen his youngest child for at least 100 days, explaining that his prolonged absence was due to his filming schedule. 

According to  People , Cruise said in a deposition hearing for her lawsuit again Bauer Publishing that it was "impossible" for him to see Suri during that time, and on top of that, he claimed that the then 7-year-old seemed just fine without him. After sharing that he's "very good" at talking to his daughter on the phone, Cruise added, "I also find that, you know, Suri is a very happy child, and confident, and has a good sense of herself."

He further explained that, though he missed Suri's first day of school, that was because his daughter didn't ask him to be there herself.

How long has it been since he's seen his daughter in person?

While Tom Cruise might have been able to explain why he didn't see Suri Cruise for 100 days, he then reportedly missed out on seeing his daughter in person for over 1,000 days. In 2016, In Touch Weekly reported that Cruise had not seen or exchanged words with Suri in over two and a half years. A source allegedly close to the situation told the publication that the pair had been using video chat and text messaging to stay in touch but that it had slowed down, before adding that Suri no longer really bought her father's explanations for why he was missing. The source said, "He uses his film commitments as an excuse, but the truth is that doesn't hold much weight with Suri anymore."

As in the past, some believe that Cruise's religion is the reason why he keeps missing out on his daughter's life. The same source told In Touch as much, noting, "He's disconnected from Katie, and then de facto from Suri, because of her connection to Katie. He hasn't seen her since she was 7."

A friend reportedly said Tom Cruise never meant to 'be estranged' from Suri

Despite Tom Cruise's reportedly prolonged period of estrangement from Suri, an alleged friend of his has stated that the actor never meant to be so far removed from his daughter. While speaking to Hollywood Life in 2019, the friend explained that, even though Cruise isn't with Suri on important days like her birthday, he's always planning for them. The friend said, "Tom does plan to send Suri a gift and call her on her birthday."

The friend added that Cruise has a lot of love for Suri, and that being this distant from his daughter wasn't something he anticipated when he and Katie Holmes welcomed Suri to the world. The friend explained, "Tom never intended to be estranged from his daughter when he decided to have a family with Katie and looks forward to repairing the relationship one day."

While it's unclear when Cruise will ever reconnect with his daughter, assuming the reports about their estrangement are true, one thing that is certainly true is that the path getting to this point has been long, winding, and, truth be told, quite confusing. Perhaps the two will grow closer when Suri is an adult.

Tom Cruise doesn't live in the same state as Suri

One factor that likely complicates the relationship between Tom Cruise and daughter Suri is that they don't live in the same state — or even the same country. While Suri lives in New York City with her mom, Katie Holmes, Cruise has reportedly been living in London, England, since April 2021 (per In Touch Weekly ).

A source told the publication that the city is a natural fit for Cruise, explaining that he especially enjoys the rainy weather and being able to walk around his new home. He is also reportedly fond of the city because of the anonymity it lends him. The source said, "If he wears a hat and mask, he can slip into bookstores or antique shops and no one knows it's him. He's got family living there, too, which gives him a sense of belonging."

As for Suri, she and her mom moved to New York following the divorce. Holmes admitted to InStyle in 2020 that the city isn't quite as private as she'd like, but she said that the city is just right for her and Suri. She shared, "What I love about New York is that for me and my child, this is our vibe."

Tom Cruise Admits Katie Holmes Divorced Him To Protect Suri From Scientology

Senior Entertainment Editor, HuffPost

Tom Cruise has admitted that Katie Holmes filed for divorce in part because of his involvement in the controversial Church of Scientology.

During his deposition, first obtained by RadarOnline , for his $50 million defamation case against Bauer media (whose magazines claimed he abandoned his daughter Suri Cruise), the 51-year-old actor first exploded with anger when asked if Holmes left him "in part to protect Suri from Scientology."

Cruise first responded that he found the question "offensive," saying, "there is no need to protect my daughter from my religion.” But when lawyers pushed the question again, asking if his ex-wife ever indicated that she left because of the religion or because she wanted to protect their daughter from Scientology, Cruise responded:

"Did she say that? That was one of the assertions, yes."

What's more, Cruise also admitted that his 7-year-old daughter is no longer a practicing member of the religion . This is a huge admission since anyone who leaves the faith is considered a “Suppressive Person” and is cut off from all members of the church, including their immediate family.

When Holmes and Cruise divorced back in 2012 , many of Scientology's defectors spoke out claiming that the church seemed to be playing favorites and bending rules when it came to Cruise and his family. Former Scientologist Samantha Domingo (whose ex-husband Placido Domingo Jr. spoke out and left the church after officials tried to make him "disconnect" from her when she was labeled a "Suppressive Person") told Vanity Fair that the way Holmes blindsided Cruise with the divorce and enrolled Suri in private school would be automatic grounds for disconnection if Holmes were married to any other Scientologist.

Domingo said that even if Holmes left Cruise to protect her daughter from the church, he likely won't give up on bringing her back to the religion.

"According to Scientology doctrine, Katie has denied Suri her spiritual eternity in the church. There's no chance for her now," Domingo explained to Vanity Fair . "Why would Katie deny their daughter her spiritual freedom? How suppressive is that? If [Tom] loves his daughter, he will never give up on [Scientology]. He will try to use every means available to help his child, and he does think he's helping his child, but he's also helping the church control his life."

In his deposition, Bauer's lawyers asked Cruise if both he and the church now consider Holmes to be a "Suppressive Person" after leaving the church.

“That is a distortion and a simplification of the matter. I don’t want to just give an oversimplification of religious doctrine," he said. However, he did agree that the definition of a Suppressive Person listed on the church's website was an accurate one.

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Tom Cruise's 'estranged' daughter Suri celebrates 18th birthday in US as he films in London

Tom Cruise continues filming Mission Impossible in the UK, thousands of miles away from his 'estranged' daughter Suri's 18th birthday celebrations

• 11:50, 18 Apr 2024
• Updated 17:44, 18 Apr 2024

Suri Cruise is celebrating her 18th birthday in New York.

She was spotted out and about in the Big Apple on Wednesday, clutching a charming bouquet of pink carnation flowers. Sporting an all-denim look, Suri appeared to be gearing up for her big birthday celebrations, miles away from her father Tom Cruise .

New pictures from this afternoon show Suri enjoying her 18th celebrations, walking with a friend as she carried bags of gifts. She stepped out in the rain in downtown Manhattan, beaming as she didn't appear to let the wet weather dampen her celebrations.

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US .

READ MORE: Katie Holmes 'saved' daughter Suri from Scientology after split from Tom Cruise

The youngster is thought to be spending her big day with mum Katie Holmes at their stateside home. She's lived a separate life away from her dad for more than a decade – even so, he appears to be busy filming in London.

Tom's shooting scenes for the upcoming Mission Impossible movie and was snapped only yesterday recording an action-packed moment involving a helicopter. It doesn't look likely that he'll fly out to America to join his daughter's milestone birthday.

It comes after recent reports that Tom has "nothing" to do with Suri's life entirely. Katie and Tom's daughter is thought to have already been applying to colleges but without the help of her dad due to their lack of relationship. Suri has been thinking about her future which could include going to a fashion college in New York.

Katie is thought to be heavily involved in the application process as she helps her daughter to take the next step in her life. "Suri does not know her father anymore and she has not spent time with him in a decade. She does not go to see his movies and he has no part in her life," a source told MailOnline.

Despite this, Tom will pay his daughter's tuition costs per his divorce agreement. According to their divorce documents, Tom agreed to pay Katie $400,000 a month until Suri turned 18 years old. Tom also agreed to pay all of Suri's expenses, including "medical, dental, insurance, education, college and other extracurricular costs".

It's possible that Suri could go on to study fashion in New York and is apparently "leaning towards" studying at Fordham University. "Suri is applying to schools all over the place. [Katie] really does want her to stay in New York so they can be close to each other. Katie takes great pride in her but is also extremely overprotective," the insider shared.

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Katie reportedly 'shielded' their 17-year-old's life from the spotlight, as well as her ex-husband's beliefs. The two tied the knot in Italy back in 2006 in a Scientologist ceremony, but as the years went on, Katie began feeling 'intimidated' by the church.

According to reports, Katie didn't want to raise Suri as a Scientologist after seeing Tom's first wife Nicole Kidman "become distant" with their kids, per MailOnline in 2016. Katie fumed when members of the Church of Scientology moved into the ex-couple's home.

Ron Miscavige, the father of Scientology leader David, told the outlet there is a "toxic" policy of "disconnection" operating within the church. Speaking to MailOnline five years before he died in 2016, he said: "That didn't sit so well with Katie."

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Sad reality of Tom Cruise and daughter Suri’s relationship

Long estranged from her famous father, as she turns 18 Suri Cruise faces a huge choice about which direction her life will now take.

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Suri Cruise was once the most famous baby in America.

The arrival of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter on April 18, 2006, sparked a global frenzy for the first glimpse of the A-list infant.

But it wasn’t until five months after her birth that she made her debut — on the cover of Vanity Fair, wrapped in the arms of her doting parents, in glossy photos taken by photographer to the stars, Annie Leibovitz.

Now she turns 18 this week and faces a choice: Whether to return to the level of fame she had as a kid — when there were blogs devoted to her fashion — or maintain the carefully-guarded life Holmes has built for her since she blindsided Cruise by filing for divorce.

The dark-haired teen has grown up in Manhattan largely shielded from the spotlight by her loving and highly protective mum, 45, far removed from her 60-year-old father’s Church of Scientology.

As Page Six revealed last year, Suri is estranged from her famous father and the pair have no relationship.

An industry source told us this week that the Mission: Impossible star has not seen Suri since 2012. “Katie has safeguarded Suri and she’s a devoted mum,” the source said.

“This is a girl who is a private citizen. She hasn’t lived her life in public.”

Holmes told Glamour magazine in 2023 that she likes to “protect” Suri from the public eye “because she was so visible at a young age.”

“I’m very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She’s an incredible person. She’s my heart,” she added.

Being the only daughter of a protective single parent is a stark contrast to how Suri’s life began, of course.

“My whole life I always wanted to be a father,” Cruise gushed to VF back in 2006.

“I always said to myself that my children would be able to depend on me and I would always be there for them and love them — that I’d never make a promise to my kids that I couldn’t keep.

“I’m not one of those people who believe you can spoil a child with too much love. You can never give a child too much love. There’s just no way.”

He already had two adopted children, Bella, now 31, and Connor, now 29, from his marriage to Nicole Kidman and after her Vanity Fair debut was happy to parade Suri for the paparazzi.

Cruise had famously declared their romance by jumping up and down on Oprah Winfrey’s couch in May 2005, yelling “I’m in love!”

But when Suri was just 6, Holmes filed for divorce after six years of marriage with the help of her dad, Martin Holmes, a fierce lawyer, and through a secret plan that entailed using burner phones.

Cruise was taken completely by surprise by the filing while he was on the set of Oblivion in Iceland in June 2012.

He and Suri were last seen together at Disney World in the summer of 2012.

In November 2013, during a deposition in his $US50 million court battle against a pair of tabloid magazines, the Top Gun star admitted that Holmes had filed for divorce “to protect Suri from Scientology,” court documents revealed.

Despite not having a relationship; as per their divorce agreement, Cruise, who has an estimated $US600 million fortune, agreed to pay Holmes $US400,000 a year until Suri turns 18 as well as future “medical, dental, insurance, education, college and other extra-curricular costs”.

Scientology lies at the heart of the question over Suri’s future.

Holmes, who rose to fame in the TV hit, Dawson’s Creek , is believed to have signed multiple nondisclosure documents that will prevent her from ever talking about her marriage to Cruise — and her time inside Scientology.

But when Suri turns 18, NY state declares that she is at the age of majority, when an individual is legally considered an adult.

That would allow her to speak about her father, his beliefs and their rift.

Tony Ortega, who has covered Scientology in depth for decades, told Page Six, “Suri would have been too young to sign any agreement, but she will now be free to talk if she wants to and it’s going to be really interesting if she has something to say.”

We have reached out to reps for Cruise, Holmes and the Church of Scientology.

“Part of why Katie left when she did when Suri was 6 was that Katie would have seen Isabella and Connor going through Scientology,” said Ortega.

Cruise is of course Scientology’s most famous follower and seen as one of its most powerful figures, possibly second only to its leader, David Miscavige.

That power has led Ortega and former Scientologists to question what action Miscavige and other top Scientologists may have taken against Holmes and her daughter.

Regular members who quit are declared “suppressive persons (SP)” and those who stay in Scientology are told to completely cut them off.

“We don’t know for sure if Katie was ever declared an SP,” Ortega said.

“If you are a regular church member you could be told to disconnect from your wife and daughter, but because Tom is a celebrity — he’s the top celebrity — he gets to ignore all this stuff.

“Your average member would be kicked out, but David Miscavige can’t do that with Tom.”

Both Mike Rinder and Jeff Augustine, two high-profile former Scientologists, agreed with this claim.

Augustine is married to Karen de la Carriere, who was one of the highest-ranking church leaders until she left in 2010 and told Page Six, “The situation with Suri is a larger story about Scientology and the subject of how they make people no longer useful to them or threats to them non-persons.

“It’s like they cease to exist and that’s what happened to Suri.”

Back in August 2020, Leah Remini — one of the most famous celebrities to leave and speak out against Scientology — told us that she believed Cruise, who now lives mainly in the UK, was waiting until Suri is older so he could indoctrinate her into Scientology.

Remini, who attended Cruise and Holmes’ November 2006 Italian wedding at the 15th-century Odescalchi Castle, said, “I’m sure his master plan is to wait until Suri gets older so that he can lure her into Scientology and away from her mother.”

Suri has tiptoed very gently into her parents’ showbusiness world while attending her exclusive Manhattan day school, singing B lue Moon in the opening credits of Holmes’ 2022 movie, Alone Together.

“I always want the highest level of talent,” Holmes said. “So I asked her! She’s very, very talented. She said she would do it and she recorded it, and I let her do her thing.”

Suri also sang in the film Rare Objects , which Holmes also directed.

Holmes will this year return to Broadway in a revival of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town .

She has not remarried but had a six-year romance with actor Jamie Foxx which she kept under the radar before their split in August 2019 and went on to have a brief fling with Nolita restaurateur Emilio Vitolo Jr. in 2021.

Holmes is careful not to speak out too much about her daughter, who is now preparing for college, once saying, “She came out very strong — she’s always been a strong personality.”

But she is now getting ready for her daughter to leave the nest.

“You want them to stay with you forever, but they’re these amazing beings, and you have to do everything you can to give them what they need — and then they’re going to go,” she told Town & Country in 2017.

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“And that’s going to be very, very sad for me.”

As for the future, former Scientology spokesperson Mike Rinder, who has not seen his own two eldest children since he quit the organisation, told Page Six, “Suri is not a Scientologist and never will be … she deserves love and sympathy.”

This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have stepped out with their teenage daughters who clearly take after their famous parents.

Lily Allen has divided social after she made a wild confession about how she flies with her young kids.

The daughter of one of Australia’s most famous actors is all grown-up and following a similar path.

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Tom cruise and suri: scientology’s heartbreaking double standard.

Ex-Scientologists tell THR that unlike others in the church, he doesn't need to "disconnect" from his child or Katie Holmes due to PR fears; says one: "I've seen internal memos about Katie."

By Dana Kennedy

Dana Kennedy

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Tom Cruise Carries Suri - H 2012

Are some Scientologists different from others?

It’s been only two weeks since Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes reached a quickie divorce settlement, but during that time Cruise has swiftly carved out a new life as single dad to his 6-year-old daughter, Suri.

PHOTOS: 10 of Hollywood’s Nastiest Divorces

After finishing his latest movie,  Oblivion , in California, Cruise sped to Manhattan for a three-day reunion with his daughter beginning July 3, taking her on a helicopter ride to the Hamptons before flying off to London for pre-production work on his next film, All You Need Is Kill .

It seemed proof of his lawyer Bert Fields ‘ claim that Cruise would have “significant contact” with the girl, though she will be based in New York with her mother.

It’s an arrangement most people would find normal, unless you’re among the numbers of Scientologists and ex-Scientologists who say that if Cruise were a typical church member, he’d be forbidden to see or speak to Katie again — and would be discouraged from staying in contact with Suri. 

Karen De La Carriere , the ex-wife of the president of Scientology and a protege of L. Ron Hubbard with decades of experience inside the organization, says she was never allowed contact with her son, Alexander Jentzsch , after leaving the church in 2010. She had hoped for a reconciliation until she learned July 5 that he had died at age 27 on July 3 at the Sylmar, Calif., home of Maureen and Jeffrey Evans , Alexander’s ex-wife’s family, Scientologists, who De La Carriere says refused her access to the body and any information about her dead son. Calls to the Evans family for comment were not returned.

PHOTOS: 19 of Hollywood’s All-Time Shortest Marriages

So why was De La Carriere, according to her account, kept by Alexander’s in-laws from viewing her son’s body at the morgue or retrieving his ashes whereas Cruise can see Suri despite the fact his ex-wife has made it clear she is returning to her Catholic roots? 

The answers may lie in Scientology’s “disconnection” policy — as some call it — and how much the organization manages its application to members’ lives. De La Carriere and other ex-church members who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter hope that Holmes’ surprise decision to file for divorce from Cruise on June 28 and the shockingly swift settlement agreement the couple signed July 8 will shine a spotlight on these questions. 

The concept of disconnection is described by former Scientologists as the forced separation from family members who have left the organization. The policy has been recounted in often anguished detail in the media and online by numerous former Scientologists who have lost contact with loved ones. Scientology spokespeople say De La Carriere and other ex-Scientologists who have criticized the church in statements to  THR  are “defrocked apostates” who are not telling the truth.

The policy, as described by defectors, involves ordering members to cut all contact with family and friends who have left the church, criticized it or are involved in activities that the church opposes. The shunned are called “suppressive persons” in Scientology jargon.

“Disconnection is the main weapon of Scientology,” says Samantha Domingo , 45, the ex-wife of Placido Domingo Jr. , son of the famed tenor and a respected musician in his own right. Domingo, who joined the church at 21 and left in 2009, says that within 48 hours of her informing the church she was leaving, she was declared a “suppressive person” and longtime friends in the Scientology community in East Grinstead, England, began “crossing the street” to avoid her.

STORY: Katie Holmes ‘Biggest Nightmare’ in Scientology History, Say Experts

Her marriage eventually cracked under the strain, and the Domingos divorced.

“My children received Facebook messages from their friends saying they weren’t allowed to talk to them anymore and they had to disconnect,” says Domingo, whose children were 8, 11 and 13 at the time. “My husband, who had stayed in the church, was called in and ordered to disconnect from me or be excommunicated.”

Domingo says she did what Katie Holmes did.

“I walked out of there holding my kids tightly by the hand,” she says. “If I had left them in the church with their father, I might not have seen them again. If my kids had been older and decided to stay, they would have been ordered to disconnect from me. Katie knows all this.”

But Domingo, who says she still is sometimes stalked and harassed by church members, says Holmes still needs to be careful. 

“Katie would have been excommunicated normally, and behind the scenes she probably already is,” says Domingo. “Internally, the wheels are in motion to discredit Katie. We have moles that are pretending to be good Scientologists who report back to us on the outside. I’ve seen internal memos about Katie.”

Placido Domingo Jr. was not available for comment but told the  Village Voice last year that he got so angry after the church tried to make him disconnect from Samantha that he ended up leaving Scientology himself.

STORY: Katie Holmes ‘Brilliant’ in Divorce Strategy, Say Ex-Scientologists

Karin Pouw , a spokesperson for the church, disputes the disconnection policy as described by defectors. “The Church never ‘orders’ Church members to disconnect from anyone and the practice does not have to do with ‘former members or people who are critical of the Church,’ ” Pouw tells  THR  in an e-mail. “The policy has to do with handling or disconnecting from individuals or groups that inhibit one’s survival. It is similarly inaccurate to say: ‘The policy involves the disconnection of current members from anyone who leaves the Church.’ It does not. Many members are connected to people who have gone on to seek other spiritual pursuits. Disconnection is always a matter of choice by the individual, is always a self-determined decision and a last resort.” Pouw went on to compare the practice to policies in other religions including Catholicism.

A type of this disconnection practice may have been at work after Cruise’s 2001 divorce from his second wife, Nicole Kidman . Former Scientologist Marty Rathbun , who was considered a senior church official under current chairman David Miscavige until he defected in late 2004, told  THR on July 4 that the church managed to wrest control of Cruise’s adopted children with Kidman by indoctrinating them against her after she and Cruise divorced.

Several former Scientology members said Kidman took some Scientology courses early on in the marriage but was never an enthusiastic practitioner. Kidman was viewed as a “suppressive person” in the wake of the divorce, Rathbun said. Many media reports have indicated she has had limited contact with her two adopted children since then.  Gary Soter , a Calabasas-based attorney representing Scientology,  has provided  THR  with statements discrediting Rathbun and his account.

But in comparison to Holmes, who seemingly took Cruise by surprise and reportedly has won primary custody of Suri, Kidman now looks as harmless as a mouse.

STORY: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes: The Fallout Continues

Mike Rinder , 57, who was aspokesperson for the church until he left in 2007, says that in the eyes of the church, “Katie Holmes is probably the biggest suppressive person out there right now.”

Holmes, he says, would be labeled a “suppressive person” without question because she filed for divorce from Cruise, created a PR nightmare for the church and, according to the  Huffington Post , re-registered as a Catholic in early July at the Church of St. Xavier in New York City. He believes their daughter, Suri, because she reportedly will live mainly with Holmes, would normally also be off limits.

Amy Scobee , 48, a 24-year Scientology veteran who helped expand the church’s outreach to celebrities and managed the Celebrity Centres before leaving Scientology in 2005, says that in her opinion the church’s disconnection policy is a “very severe human rights violation.”

“My family suffered from it and my husband’s family is all broken apart because of it,” says Scobee, whose self-published book,  Abuse at the Top , which came out May 9, claims to tell her “nightmarish experiences” among upper-level Scientologists at the church’s notorious “International Base” compound near Hemet, Calif.

Scobee was in Sea Org, a unit of dedicated Scientologists who live at the base. She says she also was in charge of hiring household staff for Cruise during his marriage to Kidman. Scobee tells  THR  that Cruise’s ongoing relationship with Suri as a newly single dad “is the worst double standard.”

STORY: Rupert Murdoch Attacks Tom Cruise, Calls Scientology ‘Creepy, Maybe Evil’

Lori Hodgson , 49, agrees. After joining the organization at age 15, Hodgson decided to leave in 2010 because she was upset that her kids had been recruited into Sea Org as teenagers and felt they were working too hard and not being properly educated.

Hodgson says she and her son, Jeremy, now 19, and daughter, Jessica, 21, always were “exceptionally close,” but that changed after she left the church. Her husband and the children remained Scientologists and she feels the church turned her family against her.

“Katie was so smart to leave now, when Suri is little,” says Hodgson, who said she was banned from the hospital by the family last fall after she found out via Facebook that her son had been critically injured in a motorbike accident. “If I had left earlier, I would have had more control over them.”

Hodgson, Scobee and Rinder believe Cruise’s celebrity status is the reason he can see Suri.

“Tom, if he were an ordinary Scientologist, would be ordered to disconnect from Katie and because Suri will be living with Katie, he couldn’t see her either,” says Rinder. “But because Tom is so high-profile, it would create a total furor if the public knew he was cutting Suri off. This is an example of the church at its most hypocritical.”

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Marc Headley , who was in charge of film and video production in Scientology and was in Sea Org for 15 years before leaving in 2005, has been cut off from many friends and family members.

“Katie flew the biggest middle finger Scientology has ever seen,” says Headley. “If she and Tom were regular Scientologists, Katie would have been declared a suppressive person in one second and Tom would never have been allowed to see her again.”

The news about Cruise’s deal with Holmes to stay in Suri’s life hit De La Carriere particularly hard.

“The fact that I served for 35 years and spent decades of my life in the church meant nothing in the end,” says De La Carriere, who held her own memorial service for her son on a boat off Long Beach.

De La Carriere still believes in Scientology as espoused by the founder, Hubbard, but left because she dislikes the current chairman, Miscavige. But she is convinced her son Alexander was not allowed to speak to her because she spoke out against Miscavige’s rule after she left.

Soter told  THR  in an e-mail that the death of Alexander Jentzsch was a “private family matter” and that De La Carriere’s statements about the events surrounding her son’s death were “troubling and inaccurate.”

STORY: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes Divorce: Inside the Couple’s Careers and Assets

However, former church members like Scobee say major family rifts such as De La Carriere’s are common in Scientology.

“Disconnection is totally based on the status of the person and it can be very arbitrary,” asserts Scobee. “Tom would never be forced to disconnect from Suri and Katie. The PR fallout would be too much.”

Similarly, Fox News anchor Greta Van Susteren and her husband, John Coale , the powerful Washington D.C.-based trial lawyer, political power broker and church donor, both longtime Scientologists, have not disconnected from Van Susteren’s sister, Lise Van Susteren , a well-respected, Harvard-educated psychiatrist who lives in Bethesda, Md.

One of the notable parts of Coale’s practice has been to represent plaintiffs in lawsuits against the makers of ADHD medication spearheaded by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights , a nonprofit anti-psychiatry organization founded by Scientology.

The field of psychiatry is one ofScientology’s biggest bête noires. “As the stepchildren of the German dictator Bismarck and later Hitler and the Nazis, psychiatry and psychology formed the philosophical basis for the wholesale slaughter of human beings in World Wars I and II,” reads a statement on the Scientology website .

STORY: Life After Tom Cruise: Katie Holmes Heading to New York Fashion Week With Holmes & Yang Line

Yet there are no indications that Greta Van Susteren has ever broken off contact with her sister.

Fox News spokesperson Irena Briganti did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

“They’d never make Greta disconnect from her sister,” says Scobee. “If you’re a celebrity, you get special treatment and even if you’re not, if you have the right connections, you don’t have to cut anyone off.”

Kidman also has a psychiatrist in the family, her father, Anthony Kidman . But there were no reports about her breaking off contact with either of her parents during her 10-year marriage to Cruise.

Andrew Morton addressed the issue in his unauthorized book about Cruise published in 2008. In an interview with the Associated Press , he said Kidman’s father was only one of the problems Cruise and Kidman had.

“What happened is that Nicole started to pull away from Scientology,” Morton told the AP. “And Tom was sent in and took this course which is called a PTSSP course, which is to basically anchor yourself to the faith and to treat the outside world with more suspicion because it is a self-contained cocooned world. You become more distant from the people who no longer believe in you, who no longer believe in the faith, and one of those was Nicole Kidman.”

STORY: Katie Holmes Avoided Talking About Tom Cruise in Interview Given One Day Before Divorce Filing

Morton went on to add: “Having said all that, when Nicole was sitting after the breakup and sobbing into her handkerchief and saying to her friend, ‘Why did he leave?’ she had no real answer. … She was always seen as somewhat of a problem because her father is a psychiatrist and Scientologists loathe psychiatry.”

As regards Van Susteren, Domingo and other Scientologists, Soter says the church “will adhere to its policy of not commenting upon its ecclesiastical relationships with individual parishioners. However, it would be both false and defamatory to state the Church provides ‘special’ or ‘preferential’ treatment with respect its application of Scripture. It does not.”

Rinder has experienced that kind of family split firsthand. His former wife, son, daughter, mother, brother, sister and assorted nieces and nephews have not spoken to him since he left the church.

“It’s very traumatic,” says Rinder. “I don’t want to sound like a victim, but it’s very, very hard. Disconnection devastates people. And it’s definitely hardest for the mothers.”

Bonny Elliott , 68, says she was pushed to disconnect from Scobee, her daughter, when she ditched the church in 2005. Elliott says she was pressured by church officials — in person, on the phone and in e-mails — to cut off contact and was torn between Amy and her husband, who at that point wanted to remain in Scientology.

STORY: Katie Holmes Returning to Broadway

“It was a black period, just black,” says Elliott. “It was heart wrenching, like living in this horrible void.”

Elliott lasted only about four months without seeing her daughter and began “sneaking” visits with her. In 2010 Elliott and her husband, Mark, officially left the church.

Elliott says it’s doubtful that most Scientologists will find out that Cruise will be allowed to see his daughter since she says they all are told to shun reading about Scientology in newspapers or on TV and the Internet.

“They won’t find out,” she says. “They live in a complete cocoon.”

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Tom Cruise’s Dark, Twisted Journey to Scientology’s Top Gun

Photo Illustrations by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

As audiences take in Cruise’s latest hit, “Top Gun: Maverick,” top Scientology reporter Tony Ortega looks back on how the star became the Church of Scientology’s Maverick.

Tony Ortega

W ith Top Gun: Maverick debuting in theaters this week, Tom Cruise is available to the press again, which explains why I was seeing video of James Corden at 5 a.m. on a tarmac waiting to join Cruise in his personal jet aircraft.

The Late Late Show host’s antics on Cruise’s plane delivered the intended effect: Tom as cooler-than-you pilot really is like the superheroes he plays in the movies.

But for me, it had another connotation.

Seeing Cruise pilot his aircraft, I couldn’t help thinking of something Marc Headley told me several years ago.

Headley joined Scientology’s Sea Org as a child, signing a billion-year contract before working 365 days a year, cloistered at one of the organization’s secretive compounds known as “Int Base” near Hemet, California.

Around 1990, Headley explained in his excellent book about that period, Blown for Good , Cruise had come to the base to learn Scientology “auditing,” its version of counseling, and Headley was chosen to be his guinea pig.

Years later, in 2009, the FBI began an intense investigation of conditions at the base, interviewing dozens of former Sea Org workers, including Headley, who by that time had escaped.

The FBI was so serious about its investigation of the slave-like conditions at the base, Headley and other former Scientologists told me, that in the summer of 2010 the agency was making detailed plans for raiding the compound, rescuing workers, and seizing documents.

Headley says the special agents assigned to the investigation told him one of their main concerns was that Scientology leader David Miscavige , who lived at the base, would slip through their grasp.

So, planning for any eventuality, they tried to seal off all escape routes Miscavige might try to use—including, Headley said, the airplanes of his best pal, Tom Cruise.

The FBI agents told him they had taken the step of recording the tail numbers of Cruise’s planes that were at his private hangar in Burbank, California, just in case Miscavige tried to make an escape using them.

Ultimately, the FBI changed its mind about raiding Scientology and the investigation was dropped, for mysterious reasons. (Headley and former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder told me their version of what happened for a piece I wrote years ago. Also, even though I’ve published the full FBI investigative file at my website, Scientology continues to claim that there was never an investigation at all. The Church of Scientology did not respond to request for comment for this story.)

Even if the raid was cancelled, I’ve never forgotten that the FBI figured that David Miscavige and Tom Cruise were so tight the Top Gun actor might use his piloting skills to jet his two-time Best Man to safety from law enforcement.

That isn’t something you’re likely to hear in all of the press celebration of Cruise’s new movie. Top Gun: Maverick is getting almost universally positive reviews (a notable exception that is worth a look ) and is poised to be Cruise’s biggest movie opening ever. We’ll be seeing a lot of him on our screens in the coming weeks.

And it couldn’t come at a better time for Scientology, which, all signs indicate, has been hit hard by the pandemic.

It isn’t the first time that Cruise has come to the church’s rescue at a crucial time.

In 1986, when actress Mimi Rogers began dating Cruise and first introduced him to Scientology, the controversial organization was at a critical juncture: Its founder and source of all its written “scriptures,” science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard , had died on Jan. 24 that year.

For a group so focused on one figure, the death of that person can be an extreme challenge. Would Scientology survive it?

Complicating things was that the person exerting himself to push aside others and take over the reins of Scientology was a 25-year-old who was known only to a small minority of the movement. David Miscavige had joined the organization as a child, and had quickly become a favorite of Hubbard, but for years he had amassed power in the rarefied upper reaches of Sea Org—away from view of the vast majority of Scientologists.

So, when Miscavige stepped forward on the stage at the Hollywood Palladium to announce Hubbard’s death to the hastily gathered crowd of Scientologists on Jan. 27, 1986, many of the people who were in the audience that night had never even heard of him.

Miscavige was still consolidating control of Scientology later that year when Mimi Rogers began bringing Tom Cruise around to a North Hollywood Scientology satellite office. Cruise was already a movie star, with films like Risky Business and All the Right Moves under his belt, and the first Top Gun had hit theaters that summer.

Cruise must have taken to Scientology pretty quickly, because he and Rogers tied the knot a few months later, on May 9, 1987. May 9 happens to be one of the most sacred days on the Scientology calendar, because it was on May 9, 1950, that Hubbard published the book that started everything: his turgid, bizarre look at the human mind called Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health . After its publication, Hubbard turned its popularity into a self-help empire that grew in fits and starts.

In 1955, Hubbard announced “Project Celebrity,” telling his followers that there would literally be a bounty on the head of famous actors and actresses brought into what by then he had decided was the “Church of Scientology” (so much for a “modern science”). Hubbard knew that attracting celebrities might help the organization seem more mainstream, and he encouraged members not to talk publicly about what was actually going on: Scientology was past-life therapy that promised godlike superpowers to those who could retrieve memories from millions or billions of years ago on other planets.

There had been some victories for Project Celebrity since then, with John Travolta (1975) and Kirstie Alley (1979) being among the most well-known bought into the church. But Mimi Rogers had outdone the rest by bringing in a star of Cruise’s stature, marrying him on Dianetics Day 1987, and right when Scientology was on shaky ground following the death of Hubbard.

Just a few years later, Rogers was repaid by being told by Scientology’s leaders to walk away from her marriage to Cruise so he could pursue his new obsession, Australian actress Nicole Kidman .

Kidman wasn’t a Scientologist, but she tried to fit in. Her former Scientology auditor, Bruce Hines, told me that in only a couple of years she was able to rocket up to an auditing level known as “OT 2,” which is pretty astonishing and suggests Kidman was probably putting in daily work to go up the “Bridge to Total Freedom.”

But by 1992, Kidman changed her mind. She soured on Scientology, and not only pulled away from it but pulled Cruise with her . We only found out about this years later, but from 1992 to 2000, former high-ranking executives tell me, Cruise kept Scientology at arm’s length. Mike Rinder has spoken about how much this bothered Miscavige, especially while Cruise and Kidman spent November 1996 to June 1998 filming Eyes Wide Shut in London with Stanley Kubrick.

During this period, Miscavige kept an eye on Cruise with a spy in his household . In 1998, Cruise made a brief return to the Hollywood Celebrity Centre to take a course which had him sitting in a grocery store parking lot with Scientology official Tommy Davis, judging the “tone level” of people walking by, which Lawrence Wright wrote about in his excellent history of Scientology, Going Clear . But it wasn’t until Cruise broke up with Kidman in 2000 that he made his real return to Miscavige’s orbit.

Over the next three years, re-indoctrinating Cruise became Miscavige’s chief mission. And by 2003, Miscavige was ready to test out his newly-zealous celebrity minion.

That summer, Cruise traveled to Missouri to help Scientology hold a grand opening for a new headquarters for one of its numerous front groups, Applied Scholastics, which works to get L. Ron Hubbard’s materials into public schools .

Cruise continued to grow into the role of highly visible Scientology ambassador. The next year, in September 2004, he made his first and only appearance at the grand opening of a new Scientology “Ideal Org” in Madrid, Spain. The year before, Miscavige had begun a program of replacing older “orgs” (Scientology's word for churches) with gleaming new and very expensive “ideal” cathedrals, a project that continues today.

Although he had broken up with Spanish actress Penelope Cruz earlier that year, Cruise was invited to help Miscavige open the new Madrid building, and he even gave a brief speech in Spanish, which you can watch here . And it was also at this event that Cruise reportedly told Miscavige that he was having some trouble finding a suitable new girlfriend. The church leader then put his wife, Shelly Miscavige, in charge of a program that fall to audition actresses, some who were Scientologists and some who were not, without telling them that it was actually a tryout to be Cruise’s new mate.

By this time, October 2004, Miscavige was thrilled with how dedicated Cruise had become, and that he was willing to be the public face of Scientology. So that month he rewarded Cruise by giving him special recognition at the annual gala held in England each October when a few exemplary church members are bestowed “Freedom Medals.” For Cruise, Miscavige made a special showing, with a 30-minute video extolling Cruise’s qualities—which included a 9-minute interview with the actor talking about the privilege of being a Scientologist. At the conclusion of the video, Miscavige gave Cruise the unique, larger medallion he’d had made just for him, the Freedom Medal of Valor.

Four years later, video from the event would be leaked to the public in one of Scientology’s most embarrassing PR disasters. But for now, Cruise was being celebrated as the most gung-ho Scientologist in the world.

Meanwhile, Shelly Miscavige’s project had produced a winner: An attractive British-Iranian Scientologist-actress named Nazanin Boniadi was selected from the auditions, and she dated Cruise from October 2004 to January 2005, when, Alex Gibney reported in his HBO documentary Going Clear , things soured. Nazanin admitted she was having a hard time understanding David Miscavige’s thick New Jersey accent, and it was giving her headaches. Scientology had Tommy Davis break up with her for Cruise.

Only a few months later, in April 2005, Cruise and Katie Holmes announced that they were dating, and it happened to coincide with Tom’s most visible (and most disastrous) attempts to be promote Scientology. After firing his longtime publicist and hiring his own sister, a Scientologist, Cruise was doing the rounds for Steven Spielberg’s film War of the Worlds . He openly clashed with interviewers in the U.S. and Australia over Scientology, most notably with Matt Lauer during an episode of Today , appearing arrogant and unhinged as he lectured Lauer about the deleterious effects of psychiatric drugs. (Scientology opposes modern mental health treatments with a white-hot fury.)

And while it didn’t appear to have any connection with Scientology, Cruise’s antics jumping on Oprah’s couch declaring his love for Holmes was seen by the public as a sign that the Scientologist actor had lost his marbles.

Mike Rinder and other former executives tell me that Cruise’s bizarre acts during 2005, with his attempt to so aggressively promote Scientology, was pure Miscavige. And it backfired badly. Cruise has never since been so vocal about his involvement in the church.

Like Kidman, Katie Holmes had no experience in Scientology but she was determined, at first, to be involved in it for Cruise’s sake. The couple welcomed a daughter, Suri, twelve months after they announced they were dating, in April 2006, and then were married that November in a castle in Italy .

It was at that wedding that King of Queens actress Leah Remini , who had grown up in Scientology, noticed that Miscavige, who was once again Cruise’s best man, was there without his wife, Shelly. When Remini asked about it, she was told by Tommy Davis that she didn’t have “the fucking rank” to ask such a question.

It turned out that a year earlier, at the end of the summer of 2005, Shelly Miscavige had vanished from Int Base , the secretive compound near Hemet, and was no longer appearing with her husband at Scientology events .

Katie Holmes, meanwhile, was such a dedicated Scientologist at that point, she wrote up a Knowledge Report complaining about how Remini had disrupted the wedding.

Like Kidman, Holmes tried her best initially to immerse herself in Scientology, only to grow away from it, and in the meantime the church experienced several very public disasters.

The video of Cruise talking bizarrely about what it meant to be a Scientologist (which was prepared for the 2004 awards ceremony) was leaked to the internet in January 2008 and became a sensation. When Scientology tried to suppress the video, it motivated the internet collective known as Anonymous to target the church with months of high-profile protests and trolling.

In early 2011, New Yorker writer Lawrence Wright revealed that the FBI had investigated Scientology in 2009-2010.

And the next year, 2012, Holmes decided she’d had enough of both Cruise and Scientology . At that point, with Suri turning 6 years old, she would have been old enough to begin early Dianetics courses. And Katie would also have seen Cruise’s older children, Isabella and Connor, going through Scientology auditing and interrogations.

Katie then made her famous escape from marriage in June 2012 while Cruise was in Iceland shooting scenes for Oblivion , his first collaboration with Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski.

Eleven days later, she and Cruise had worked out a settlement to end their marriage. Katie got primary custody of Suri, and Cruise got generous visitation rights. But in recent years he seems to have largely cut her out of his life.

People often ask me if Tom Cruise is being groomed to take over Scientology from Miscavige, or if he’s the No. 2 figure in the church. But that ignores the basic structure of the Scientology movement—that it is run by the Sea Organization.

The Sea Org is not a legal entity, but it has ultimate control of the church, and the captain of the Sea Org is David Miscavige.

If Miscavige left, another Sea Org official would take his place. But in order to qualify for the Sea Org, a Scientologist has to sign a billion-year contract and work around the clock for the organization for pennies an hour, a commitment that Tom Cruise is not likely to make.

Tom Cruise’s value to Scientology is not as an executive, it’s as an ornament. That’s always what the celebrities have been: symbols. But he’s the most important celebrity, and an incredibly important symbol for the church.

There are plenty of secretive, high-pressure groups that some people call cults, but there is only one Scientology. Why? Because of its celebrities, and primarily because of Tom Cruise. He is Scientology, as far as most of the public is concerned.

And if he were to leave and speak out like Leah Remini has? I doubt Scientology could survive it. That’s how important he is to it.

The tabloids, every few months, publish stories claiming that Cruise is leaving, but it is never backed up with any evidence.

In fact, in 2019, Cruise for the first time since I’ve been watching attended not one but two of those international events, both the LRH Birthday Event in Florida in March and the IAS gala in England in October. And there was evidence that suggested he took his children Isabella and Connor with him to the IAS event, again for the first time ever.

So, based on that, my feeling was that as of 2019, Cruise was more dedicated to Scientology than ever.

It was harder to get information out in 2020 and 2021 because Scientology had to stop holding its international events owing to the pandemic .

People often ask me if Cruise is only staying in Scientology because the church is blackmailing him with information he has given up in auditing sessions. But again, that misinterprets the facts. The real situation appears to be that Tom Cruise is a true believer. He really does believe that L. Ron Hubbard was the greatest human being who ever lived, and that David Miscavige is the greatest human being living today.

In the words of John Brousseau, who worked closely with both men for many years, “Tom Cruise worships David Miscavige like a god.”

I see no reason to change that assessment today.

Finally, Suri. There’s no doubt that the way Katie Holmes left Cruise in 2012 caused a huge public relations disaster for Scientology. That would make it possible that David Miscavige might have declared her a “suppressive person,” which would make Suri a “potential trouble source” because she’s connected to her SP mother—as is common among those who’ve defected.

We don’t know for sure if Miscavige made this determination. However, it’s pretty obvious that if Tom Cruise were not a celebrity, he would probably be instructed by the church to cut off contact with his ex-wife and Suri.

However, Tom is a celebrity, and the most important celebrity, and celebrities get to ignore those rules if they want. As Scientology’s most important celebrity, he could continue to be a part of Suri’s life he wanted to.

But for now, he’s once again the most successful movie star on the planet, and he will face only highly-controlled interviews where none of this history will be raised.

His popularity will be a huge boost for individual Scientologists, who will see the success of Top Gun: Maverick as a vindication of Scientology, even if the movie has nothing to do with it.

They love it when a Scientology celebrity gets positive press.

And Miscavige will be beside himself.

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Tom Cruise ‘Not Allowed’ to Have Relationship With Daughter Suri, Former Scientologist Claims (Exclusive)

Tom Cruise can’t have any sort of relationship with his youngest daughter, Suri , because of his affiliation to the Church of Scientology , a former Scientologist exclusively claims in the new issue of Us Weekly .

Related: Celebrity Scientologists and Stars Who Have Left the Church

In fact, the last time the actor, 57, was spotted with the 13-year-old was in 2013 — shortly after his ex-wife Katie Holmes blindsided him with her 2012 divorce filing .

But Samantha Domingo , the former follower who left the organization in 2004, told Us that the sighting was likely just for appearances. In reality, Cruise is “not allowed” to have a relationship with his teenage daughter because she’s not a Scientologist.

“Maybe he did it for a photo op,” says the author of Je Suis a Cult Whistleblower: Scientology Kills , “to make it seem like he was connected so he wouldn’t be criticized.”

Related: Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise’s Daughter Suri Cruise Through the Years

Meanwhile the Mission: Impossible star has a close bond with his two older children, Isabella, 26, and Connor, 24 — both Scientologists as well — with ex-wife Nicole Kidman .

And while a source previously insisted to Us that Scientologists are allowed to see “their child if they wanted to” and it’s Cruise’s choice not to see Suri , Domingo adds that there is more to the situation.

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Members of the Church are big believers in reincarnation, she says, so their viewpoint is that “Suri’s not really his daughter — she’s just a spiritual being in his daughter’s body.”

Related: Leah Remini’s Scientology Tell-All: The Juiciest Things We Found Out

A spokeswoman for the Church, however, vehemently denies all of Domingo’s allegations, calling them “fiction” and adding, “Everything about your inquiry misrepresents the Church of Scientology, its practices, and the lifestyle of its ministry.”

For more on Cruise and Suri’s relationship — plus other Scientology secrets — watch the video above and pick up the new issue of Us Weekly , on stands now!

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Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's stunning daughter Suri, 18, is a vision as she steps out in flowing skirt and cowboy boots

The daughter of katie holmes and tom cruise, recently celebrated her milestone 18th birthday without her father.

Stepping out in the heart of New York City, Suri Cruise was the epitome of urban chic on Wednesday. The daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise , who recently celebrated her milestone 18th birthday, was spotted enjoying a casual stroll through the bustling streets. 

For her day out, Suri opted for a stylish ensemble, featuring a billowing tan sweater cinched at the waist with a leather belt, paired perfectly with a flowing white skirt. 

Her outfit was completed with a pair of well-worn cowboy boots, adding a touch of rugged charm to her sophisticated look.

As she navigated the sidewalks, Suri snacked on a bag of chips and sipped from a green water bottle, her long brunette locks styled with a center part, cascading beautifully down her back. 

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This sighting comes shortly after her significant birthday, a celebration in which her estranged father, Tom was notably absent. 

The Hollywood star has been busy in London, engrossed in the filming of his eighth Mission Impossible movie and recently attending Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday celebration.

Tom’s involvement in the glittering social scene, including his time with the Beckhams, starkly contrasts with his absence from Suri’s life. 

The pair have been estranged since 2013, a year following his highly publicized divorce from Katie. 

The end of Suri’s 18th year also marked the conclusion of Tom's child support obligations, which were reported to be around $400,000 a year as stipulated in their divorce settlement.

The last public sighting of Tom and Suri together was during a trip to Disneyland in 2012, the same year his marriage to Katie ended. 

Reports suggest that Katie’s decision to end the marriage was influenced by concerns over raising Suri within the Church of Scientology, to which Tom is a devoted member.

Looking to the future, Suri is rumored to be eyeing a career in fashion, with plans to study the subject in New York starting this September. 

Family lawyer Theresa Wright from solicitors Britton & Time commented on the situation, explaining the nuances of child support obligations that might extend due to educational pursuits. 

"If Suri is enrolling in Art college, Tom would still be responsible for paying child maintenance to Katie until Suri reaches the age of 20, provided she stays in Art college full time. There may have been an agreement in Katie and Tom’s divorce settlement that maintenance is provided for longer, in which case it may be that Tom continues to pay child maintenance until either Suri finishes university or reaches the age of 25," she told HELLO!

Meanwhile, Tom remains committed to his own career, continuing to film the latest Mission Impossible sequel in the UK. The project, tentatively titled Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two , is expected to release on May 23, 2025. 

This follows the release of Dead Reckoning Part One last July. The production of MI:8 has faced several setbacks, including delays due to the Hollywood writers' strike and the need to pause filming to promote the previous installment.

Filming locations for the eighth installment have included various iconic sites across Derbyshire, Surrey, and central London, such as the Natural History Museum in Kensington and Westminster Bridge. 

Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S.  Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.

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This 1 Rule May Prohibit Tom Cruise From Ever Having Contact With Daughter Suri, Sources Claim

For years, people have been wondering if Tom Cruise will ever reach out to his youngest kid Suri Cruise . It's been a back and forth, but former Scientologists are dishing the one major reason why they may never, ever connect.

Former leading Scientologist Karen De La Carriere told DailyMail that while many think that there are a lot of rules that prohibit Cruise from seeing Suri, it's just one major rule that she believes to be the case.

"Katie was deemed a Suppressive Person and Suri, by extension, Potential Trouble Source," she said. Chances are, you've heard about Scientology referring to some outsiders as a "Suppressive Person," which basically means someone who does suppressive acts against the Church and are dubbed enemies for it. A Potential Trouble Source is basically a step below a Suppressive Person, it's basically someone linked to a Suppressive Person who may indicate they'll be an enemt ot the Church as well.

Carriere added "Tom cannot engage or connect with his own daughter. In Scientology , it is Scientology first; family priorities come low down in the order."

This was backed up when DailyMail also asked Cruise's former security detail, Brendan Tighe, about it."Basically, when it comes to Scientology thinking, there is a disconnection policy. When it's applied rigorously, there is no room for emotion," he said. "So long as Suri sides with her mom, there will be no contact with her dad."

And you may be wondering, "what about his two kids with Nicole Kidman (another ex of his who left the Church and became a Suppressive Person?" Well, the reason he talks to his adopted children that he shares with ex-wife Kidman is that they're both Scientologists (with his daughter Bella as a high-ranking one at that).

For those who don't know, Holmes and Cruise welcomed Suri, 17, on April 18, 2006, with her ex-husband Tom.

Suri turned 18 this past month, and many wonder if she'll have something to say about her estranged dad and Scientology. "Suri would have been too young to sign any agreement, but she will now be free to talk if she wants to, and it's going to be really interesting if she has something to say," Tony Ortega, an expert and seasoned Scientology journalist said to Page Six .

Before you go, click here to see Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes entire relationship timeline:

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Suri Cruise grabs coffee with mom Katie Holmes after celebrating 18th birthday without estranged dad Tom

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Katie Holmes and her daughter, Suri Cruise, stepped out for a caffeine pick-me-up just days after celebrating the high schooler’s 18th birthday without her estranged father, Tom Cruise.

The “Dawson’s Creek” star and the teen were seen going for a coffee run during a mother-daughter stroll in New York City on Monday.

Holmes, 45, was spotted carrying a hot cup of joe while her look-alike offspring held an iced coffee in one hand and a water cup in the other.

Suri looked stylish in a long patterned maxi dress layered under a brown cardigan and a denim jacket. She finished the ensemble with brown boots and some delicate gold jewelry.

As for her mom, Holmes, 45, looked trendy in baggy blue jeans, black and white Adidas Samba sneakers, and a red and white striped button-down peeping out from under her cozy gray sweater.

The actress accessorized with oversize sunglasses and a slouchy black leather shoulder bag.

Suri celebrated her milestone birthday on April 18 in the Big Apple. She was seen stepping out in the rainy weather with friends while en route to her festivities.

During her celebrations, her father was across the pond in the UK, where he is filming “Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.”

While Tom, 61, skipped out on commemorating his daughter’s big day, he attended his friend Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday party in London just days later.

A fellow attendee shared that the “Top Gun” star stole the show when he started breakdancing and doing splits at the fashion designer’s star-studded fête.

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Suri has been estranged from her dad, who is a top Scientologist , for more than a decade.

A source recently told Page Six that Tom has not seen the teen since 2012 .

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The actor was last photographed with Suri at Disney World that summer when she was 7 years old.

Fortunately, Suri has a precious bond with her mother.

“Katie has safeguarded Suri,” an insider told us, “and she’s a devoted mom.”

Holmes has worked hard to keep her daughter out of the spotlight to protect her from public scrutiny.

Court documents from her 2012 divorce from Tom also said that Holmes wanted to “protect Suri from Scientology,” which is often considered to be a cult.

While Suri is Holmes’ only child, Tom has two other children with his ex-wife Nicole Kidman: daughter Isabella Cruise, 31, and son Connor Cruise, 29.

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