Things About Tom Cruise's Kids No One Talks About
Love him or hate him, there's no denying the fact that Tom Cruise is a bona fide movie star, one of the most recognizable (and bankable) A-listers working in Hollywood today. He's managed to maintain a near-immaculate professional image since he made his debut as a fresh faced 19-year-old in the romantic 1981 drama Endless Love. However, the father of three's personal life has often been shrouded in chaos and controversy. His role within the Church of Scientology and his seemingly complicated relationship with his three children — two adopted and one biological, from his second and third marriages, respectively — has also been a hot topic.
Cruise may be infinitely intriguing (even his Mission: Impossible co-star and good friend Simon Pegg calls him a "mysterious figure"), but there are just as many weird and wonderful things going on with his kids, and a lot of those things tend to get brushed under the carpet. From secret Scientology summer camps to very public snubs, these are the uncomfortable things that people don't like talking about when it comes to Tom Cruise's kids.
Isabella and Connor Cruise called their mom 'Nicole'
Soon after his divorce from first wife Mimi Rogers (the actress who reportedly introduced him to Scientology), Tom Cruise married Australian sensation Nicole Kidman, his romantic interest in the 1990 racing drama Days of Thunder.
Years later, Kidman revealed that she wanted to start having kids straight away, but it wasn't meant to be — she went through a devastating miscarriage not long after tying the knot with Cruise. "We lost a baby early on, so that was really very traumatic," Kidman told Vanity Fair. "And that's when it came that we would adopt Bella." Isabella gained a little brother, Connor, when the pair adopted again two years later.
The family unit Kidman and Cruise created broke down in 2001, when the Hollywood power couple decided to end the marriage, and the Aussie actress had a difficult time with her adopted kids in the years that followed. "My kids don't call me 'mommy,'" Kidman told GMTV in 2007 (via E! News). "They don't even call me 'mom.' They call me 'Nicole,' which I hate and tell them off for it."
To add insult to injury, the Daily Mail reported that Cruise's next wife, actress Katie Holmes, allegedly claimed Isabella and Connor had begun calling her "mom" after just two years in their lives.
Did Tom Cruise and Scientology cut out Nicole Kidman?
Isabella Cruise's birth mother is said to have been a practicing Scientologist who already had two kids and couldn't afford to look after a third. According to the Daily Mail, the church connected her to Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. Baby Bella was reportedly placed in Nicole's arms moments after being delivered, and Tom supposedly stayed up that first night just watching her breathe. Both parents clearly loved Connor with the same fervor, but following the split, Nicole became an outsider in her children's lives, and rumor has it, she may not have had a choice.
According to the Daily Mail, Nicole spent much of 2004 in Romania filming Cold Mountain. When she returned from the shoot, she was allegedly told that the children had been sent off to a Scientology summer camp. By 2005, Isabella and Connor were reportedly with their dad full time and fully immersed in the church. According to the tab, Nicole seemingly "lost her children to their father and his faith."
Nicole admitted that she felt depressed following the divorce and threw herself into her work to combat those feelings. She won an Oscar for The Hours in 2003, but Hollywood's most esteemed prize did little to dull the pain. She told a Women in the World summit (via the Los Angeles Times) that her Academy Award "caused an epiphany." She recalled sitting in the Beverly Hills hotel, holding her gold statue, "and it was all extraordinary, and I was the loneliest I'd ever been."
Isabella Cruise allegedly called her mom a Suppressive Person
When former Scientologist and King of Queens star Leah Remini bumped into Tom Cruise's adopted kids at his wedding to Katie Holmes in 2006, Isabella reportedly told Leah that she considered her mother a Suppressive Person. According to Scientology.org, a Suppressive Person is someone who will "goof up or vilify any effort to help anybody and particularly knife with violence anything calculated to make human beings more powerful or more intelligent."
Leah recalled her awkward encounter with the Cruise kids in her book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology (via Now To Love). "When I asked if she talked to her Mum, Bella scoffed and said, 'Not if I can help it, she's a f*****g SP'. Connor just looked out the window. There was something human about his silence and the sadness I felt in it."
Nicole Kidman has refused to publicly discuss the drama surrounding the church and maintains that she "utterly respects" Isabella and Connor's decision to practice Scientology.
Isabella Cruise's wedding shun
At age 23, Isabella Cruise married 29-year-old British IT consultant Max Parker in a Scientology ceremony at London's glitzy Dorchester Hotel in September 2015. According to the Mirror, it was a low-key event — so low-key that even the parents weren't invited.
Bella reportedly attended her dad's wedding to Katie Holmes and was a bridesmaid at her mom's wedding to Keith Urban, but when Parker was asked if he regretted that his bride's parents weren't in attendance at their nuptials, the groom supposedly said: "Yeah. It is what it is."
Tom Cruise apparently didn't take being omitted from the guest list to heart. A source told People magazine, "None of the parents were invited, and Tom was totally cool with it." Nicole Kidman was reportedly in London preparing for a West End play at the time of her daughter's wedding, but according to the Daily Mail, Isabella still didn't want her there. "Tom picked up the bill and paid for everything, but it was decided that neither he nor Nicole should attend as it would have turned the whole event into a circus," an insider claimed.
Nicole supposedly met her future son-in-law at a private dinner prior to the wedding, and the newlyweds reportedly spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with Tom that year.
Connor Cruise lives 'like a god' among Scientologists
Like his sister, Connor Cruise grew up practicing Scientology and remains an active — and, apparently, pretty important — member of the church. According to the Daily Mail, Cruise lives a "jet-setting lifestyle" in Clearwater, Fla., home of Scientology HQ. A church insider told the tabloid that Cruise's yellow $50,000 Mustang GT is regularly seen at the main Scientology building. "It's unprecedented for any member to be allowed to park right outside the main entrance," the source said. "Connor must be receiving special treatment because of his father's influence. The security treat him like a god — they look starstruck whenever he arrives."
Cruise's Mustang (which gets valeted by a "lackey" every time he visits the Florida HQ, the Daily Mail's insider said) was reportedly a gift from his father. Sources claim that the Mission Impossible star also paid for a $500,000 boat so Connor could go deep sea fishing, something he's clearly very passionate about. When he's not at sea, he can usually be found in his swanky three-bedroom town house, located in an exclusive community consisting primarily of Scientologists. Unless, of course, he's traveling with his old man. Father and son were photographed approaching a London helicopter pad in October 2019 (via People), and they were apparently in the UK when the coronavirus pandemic hit. According to the Daily Mail, they "hunkered down" at the Scientology HQ in West Sussex, a luxury facility that's said to boast a Michelin-star chef among its staff.
Nicole Kidman's Golden Globes snub
When Nicole Kidman took to the stage at the 2018 Golden Globes to deliver an award acceptance speech, it was apparently her turn to do some snubbing. The Australian triumphed in the best performance by an actress in a limited series category after impressing in HBO's critically-acclaimed drama, Big Little Lies. The first people Kidman mentioned in her speech were Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, her daughters with country crooner Keith Urban. "Sunny, Faith, I love you," she said. "I'm bringing this home to you, babies."
The actress went on to thank her co-stars, but there was no mention of Isabella or Connor Cruise. When she left the stage without acknowledging them, viewers quickly took to social media to express shock and even anger. "Nicole Kidman's continued refusal to acknowledge that she has more than two children seriously makes me sick," one user tweeted (via The Sun). Another pointed out that this allegedly wasn't the first time she'd left half of her children out of her thank yous. "She did the same at the Emmys last fall. Is she done being a mother to Connor and Isabella?"
According to Now To Love, the last time Isabella and Connor were photographed with Nicole in public was way back in 2007, when she was filming Australia.
Suri Cruise's million dollar wardrobe
Suri Cruise, born in April 2006, is Tom Cruise's biological daughter with actress Katie Holmes. Mom and Dad kept their little girl out of the spotlight at first, but when she was old enough to go out and about, her parents apparently made sure she wasn't going to be upstaged. In 2008, Suri was named Hollywood's Hottest Tot by Forbes after the toddler "received more blog mentions than any other Tinseltown kiddie and was referenced in more than 1,300 news articles."
Her popularity was boosted by a wardrobe that was reportedly worth a staggering $3.2 million, including allegedly $150,000 worth of shoes. "Suri has so many designer shoes," a source told Star magazine in 2011 (via the Daily Mail). "She's a massive fan of Marc Jacobs and she's had several shoes custom-made, so if they didn't come with a heel, Katie had them redesigned for Suri. She commissioned a pair of Louboutins for her a while back."
Critics questioned if a child ought to be allowed to wear high heels, and backlash mounted when Suri was spotted in public wearing red lipstick. Papa Cruise defended his daughter's grown-up appearance during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. "She likes to dress herself and wears whatever she wants to wear," the A-lister said (via Marie Claire) "...A girl wants to wear what she wants to wear. I'm not going to tell her different."
Katie Holmes had to 'outwit' the church to get Suri out
When Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise split, their adopted children appeared to grow distant from their mom, and that was something Katie Holmes allegedly wanted to avoid. Sources close to the Batman Begins actress claimed Katie supported Suri Cruise having a relationship with her father but feared he'd never put his child above his commitment to Scientology. Rumor has it that Katie decided to plan her exit in secret, in homes of maintaining constant contact with her daughter.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Karen De La Carriere (a former Scientology leader who left the church in 2010) said, "Katie ambushed Tom Cruise [with a divorce] and in so doing outwitted some of the most controlling people on Earth. ... She had to have planned this very carefully, right down to using disposable cell phones and laptops to throw people off her trail. It had to have been a very cloak-and-dagger operation."
The first move in Katie's alleged escape plan was to fire Tom's devout daughter, Isabella Cruise, from a job at Katie's clothing line. "She was fired out of the blue, and once Katie filed for divorce, it all made sense," a former church member told The Hollywood Reporter. "This was a carefully planned ambush. Katie didn't want Bella working for her anymore because she was Tom's kid."
No one really knows if Tom Cruise sees Suri
Once you've "blown" (a Scientology term for leaving the church, according to one ex-member,) you get cut out entirely, and that apparently goes for kids, too. Numerous insiders have speculated about how the church's "disconnection policy" prohibits Tom Cruise from seeing his daughter with Katie Holmes, who is more than likely on the Suppressive Person list. "He hasn't seen her since she was 7," one source told InTouch. Rick Ross, founder of The Cult Education Institute and an expert on Scientology, told Hollywood Life that Suri's dad probably considers her a PTS — a Potential Trouble Source.
The last time Tom and his youngest daughter were photographed together was in 2013, the year after Katie rocked the church with her high profile divorce filing. According to former Scientologist and writer Samantha Domingo, this could have been an exercise in damage limitation. She told Us Weekly in July 2019, "Maybe he did it for a photo op, to make it seem like he was connected so he wouldn't be criticized." Another source told the tab that Tom is actually allowed to see Suri for a set number of days per month, but he "chooses not to because she is not a Scientologist." Meanwhile, yet another tab claimed around the same time that Tom and Suri have secretly connected via a third party for years, and that she was possibly planning a covert in-person visit. What does it all mean? Apparently, figuring out Tom's relationship with Suri is ... an impossible mission.
Debunking the rumors
Despite the alleged bad blood, Isabella and Connor Cruise have never spoken out against their mother publicly, and both have denied reports that they're estranged from her.
When Connor was working as a DJ, he put on some gigs Down Under and attempted to set reporters straight about his relationship with Nicole Kidman. "I love my mum," he told Women's Day magazine (via E! News). "I don't care what people say, I know that me and mum are solid. I love her a lot."
Isabella has also made her feelings on those persistent estrangement rumors known. She told the Daily Mail that she remains in contact with both parents and that "anyone who says otherwise is full of s**t." Nicole reportedly had an emotional reunion with Isabella in 2016, and relations have apparently been improving ever since. In 2018, Isabella launched the BKC clothing line, which stands for Bella Kidman Cruise — that obvious nod to her mother made headlines.
According to InTouch, Nicole is even helping her adopted daughter adopt a child of her own. "Isabella has her heart set on giving a child a chance like she had," an insider claimed. "Nicole has been pivotal in the process, pouring her energy into supporting Isabella and Max."
Connor Cruise is reportedly marrying a 'Scientology princess'
Nicole Kidman didn't get to see her daughter walk down the aisle, and reports suggest that she won't be at her son's wedding, either. Connor Cruise was reportedly dating a non-church member at one stage, but an unnamed friend of the DJ-turned-fisherman has told Radar Online that he's now engaged to marry a "Scientology princess" named Silvia, an attractive Italian church member who relocated to Florida with her family. Insiders claim that Connor's famous father "adores" his potential daughter-in-law (the A-lister reportedly had a fun day out at Disney World with the happy couple in December 2019), but he apparently doesn't want Silvia to mix with his ex.
One church source claimed that Tom Cruise has made it absolutely clear that Kidman should not be allowed to attend the wedding, which will seemingly be a Scientologists-only affair. "Tom is behind this and what he wants is as good as law," they said. "Tom made the call and Connor followed... Connor worships the ground his father walks on and would never disobey Tom." The insider went on to say that Tom wouldn't even entertain the idea of Nicole being involved in the Scientology-focused ceremony, on account of her standing with the church — the actress is apparently still considered a Suppressive Person by the higher ups, and by Tom himself. "He doesn't want her there," the source added. "Tom turned his back on Nicole a long time ago and he's never looked back."
Isabella Cruise opened up about her 'auditing adventure'
The world got to see just how passionate Tom Cruise was about his faith in January 2008 when a clip of the actor vigorously explaining why it was "a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist" leaked and instantly went viral. The original video was shown at a 2004 International Association of Scientologists meeting, according to Campaign, and was never meant to be seen by the wider public. Cruise's daughter had her own version of this scandal in 2019, when a promotional email being circulated among church members made its way into the hands of journalist and Scientology expert Tony Ortega.
The email contained a glossy portrait of Isabella Cruise and was written by her personally. According to Ortega (who runs the blog The Underground Bunker), it's not uncommon for these "success stories" to be published, but this was the first time that Isabella had appeared in official Scientology promo material. In a long and rambling message filled with Scientology jargon, Isabella revealed that she became an auditor for the church and urged others to join her. "This is a gift to yourself and so many others... If you are going to make it as a being for the long run you NEED this. That's the truth. You won't stay Clear or OT without it." She finishes the message by thanking her father for his unwavering support and paying tribute to Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard. "Thank you to LRH, on so many levels."
Suri Cruise is a full-on teenager now
Because her mom does a good job of keeping her out of the public eye, it's always shocking to see how much Suri Cruise (pictured above in March 2020) has grown whenever we do see her. When Katie Holmes shared some rare photos of Suri around the time of her 14th birthday in April 2020, the actor's followers couldn't believe how grown up she looked. "Oh my goodness, Suri looks like a young woman!" one user wrote (via Hello!). "I'm still picturing her as a pre-teen." Others were quick to note just how much Suri is starting to resemble her mother now that she's a full-on teenager. "Suri is long-limbed like her mom," someone noted, while another person said they resembled "twins" in the snap.
Like twins, mother and daughter reportedly have a very special bond. "You'd struggle to find a mom-daughter duo who are more in sync with each other," a family source told Us Weekly. "They're a real team — their connection is a beautiful thing to witness." A second insider claimed that Suri is "well-liked" among her tight-knit group of friends in New York, and she's apparently pretty outgoing. The celebrity scion is reportedly "very naturally athletic and excels at physical activities like gymnastics and dance." When Holmes spoke to InStyle shortly after her daughter turned 14, she revealed that they had "gotten through the sort of girlie stage" of their relationship, adding: "My biggest goal has always been to nurture her into her individuality."