The Real Truth About Tom Cruise And Katie Holmes' Break-Up
There's no end to news about Tom Cruise. Some of it's great, like the fact that "Top Gun: Maverick" was his first movie to gross over $100 million on its opening weekend. Nicely done. And some of the news is a little more exciting and sometimes bizarre. Some of the more disturbing things about Cruise's life have to do with his involvement in the Church of Scientology. He's also not a bit shy to take on studio executives if he feels he has a better way of doing things. For example, when Paramount proposed a release plan for "Maverick" that would bring it to a streaming platform after only 45 days in theaters, Cruise allegedly showed up with a lawyer and insisted on a three-month theater showing.
On a more badass level, Cruise can freak out his family and friends with his insistence on doing his own stunts, some of which are outright dangerous. In 2021, when Cruise was filming "Mission: Impossible 8," fans got footage of him strapped to a 1941 Boeing B75N1 Stearman biplane, The Sun reports, and the plane flipped and nosedived while Cruise was on the wing. Clearly, there are no stuntmen required for these projects!
But perhaps most exciting of all is Cruise's relationship history and, as far as we know, no stuntmen were hired for these gigs either. He's certainly made an impression because all of his exes had things to say about time spent dating him. But of all of these exes, Katie Holmes might have the most to say.
The strange selection process for Tom Cruise's girlfriends
Before Katie Holmes came onto the scene, Tom Cruise had an unusual way of finding love. As Maureen Orth reported for Vanity Fair in 2012, the Church of Scientology had a way of vetting women to fill the role of Cruise's girlfriend. Apparently, Cruise's adherence to the church was a source of tension in two of his previous relationships with Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman. "There were allegations and counter-allegations about fidelity, but the central problem was Nicole did not want to deal with Scientology," a source told Vanity Fair.
Allegedly, A-listers like Sofia Vergara had been scouted but turned down the offer. Brendan Tighe, a former Scientologist, said on "Megyn Kelly Today" that Scarlet Johansson had apparently tried out for the role, a comment that garnered a response from the actor herself.
"The very idea of any person auditioning to be in a relationship is so demeaning," Johansson said in a statement, per a later publication by Vanity Fair. "I refuse for anyone to spread the idea that I lack the integrity to choose my own relationships. Only a man, a.k.a. Brendan Tighe, would come up with a crazy story like that." Orth reported on the experience of actor and activist Nazanin Boniadi as she was scouted and molded by Scientology, which included the encumbrances of being constantly accompanied by handlers. Boniadi was also never allowed to criticize the church. It didn't last, but it sure gave a heads up for what Katie Holmes was in for.
How an article for Seventeen changed everything
Of all things, it was an interview that set things in motion between Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. In 2004, Holmes was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, after playing Joey Potter on "Dawson's Creek" and engaged to actor Chris Klein, per HuffPost. She was interviewed by Deb Baer for "Seventeen" magazine and was, naturally, being asked about upcoming wedding plans. Holmes quite innocently said, "I think every little girl dreams about (her wedding). I used to think I was going to marry Tom Cruise," (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The behind-the-scenes workings of the Church of Scientology are unknown, but sure enough, six months after the article hit the press, Holmes and Klein broke off their engagement. Shortly after, Homes was introduced to Cruise on the pretext that there might be a part for her in "Mission: Impossible 3." However it happened, Holmes' admission of her childhood crush on that fateful day set the wheels in motion.
Baer later lamented her interview with Holmes in an op-ed for HuffPost, where she admitted that Holmes struck her as overly trusting and far too idealistic to see a relationship with Cruise for what it really was. "She was ridiculously easy prey," Baer wrote, noting that Holmes was young enough that she was still easily "starstruck" and lonely. "Once Katie was firmly in Tom's clutches, sometimes I'd lay awake at night, tossing and turning realizing that the quote I'd gotten from her at the first interview probably ruined the poor girl's life," Baer ominously wrote.
The couch-jumping episode
It's not every relationship that gets a defining moment that involves Oprah Winfrey. Maybe Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are one of the few other couples who can compete with such an illustrious milestone. For Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, it came via the infamous couch episode. It was in 2005 and Cruise was wild in the interview, throwing around power poses, fit pumps, and athletic arm swings. "Something happened to you, something happened to you," Winfrey repeated. "I'm in love," Cruise told the audience with a radiant smile, followed by the actor taking a knee and giving another low fist pump.
"We've never seen you behave this way before," Winfrey said. It was after this comment that Cruise jumped on the couch. Hey, we've always known he's done his own stunts. It was as erratic and enthusiastic as anyone could imagine but Winfrey, being the pro she is, took it in stride. Cruise then ran backstage to get Holmes, who was 26 at the time, and brought her out in front of the audience. She continued to hug Cruise and looked charmingly shy.
Cruise was supposed to be promoting his 2005 film "War of the Worlds," directed by Stephen Spielberg and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Needless to say, the production company wasn't overly pleased, The New York Times noted, when any talk of the upcoming film was completely derailed by Cruise's antics. No one remembered a movie after that.
Suri Cruise was born in silence
Tom Cruise didn't get down on one knee when he proposed to Katie Holmes in Paris in June 2005. The two dined at one of the restaurants in the Eiffel Tower, The Hollywood Reporter notes, and it was here that Cruise asked her. While Holmes didn't get a traditional, kneeling proposal, she did get a five-carat yellow diamond ring by famed jeweler Fred Leighton.
In October 2005, the couple broke the news that they were expecting a baby. In an interview with Barbara Walters for her special "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005," he admitted that he made a big, baby-related purchase. "I bought a sonogram machine," Cruise said, (via People). "I am gonna donate it to a hospital when we are done," he added, admitting that he was going to perform the sonograms himself. The news was worrying to many doctors, a later article by NBC News noted, stating that such procedures should be performed by a trained professional.
Thankfully, everything went off without a hitch and daughter Suri was born on April 18, 2006 in Santa Monica, California. But there was one unusual detail. Holmes had to deliver Suri in silence. The unusual requirement hailed from Cruise's belief in Scientology, where founder L. Ron Hubbard stated that words and sounds created by pain were harmful to both the mother and the baby, Today notes. We wonder what Holmes thought of this belief.
Katie's parents were upset about the relationship
While Tom Cruise was jumping on Oprah Winfrey's couch, Katie Holmes' parents were allegedly a lot more skeptical about the budding relationship. When it came to Holmes and Cruise's 2006 wedding at the Odescalchi Castle in Italy, the Mirror notes, it was rumored that her parents were going to skip the wedding because they were so disappointed in the pending nuptials. They may have been worried about Cruise himself but they were also upset about Holmes' religious shift. She had been Catholic but dipped into the waters of Scientology, since it was a must in becoming Cruise's leading lady. As Catholics, they felt they could not attend a Scientology wedding.
Her father, lawyer Marty Holmes, wasn't one to have his leadership contested. "Marty is very rigid — it's his way or the highway," an insider told People. However, whatever differences her parents felt, they put it aside, at least for her rehearsal dinner. "It didn't take much time before I realized this Tom guy was a special guy — that he loved Katie, that he cared for her and supported her," Holmes' father said in a speech, per People. "Tom expressed his love many different ways — I like that. I respect men who are not afraid to show their feelings. I respect Tom for the commitment he has made to provide happiness and love to Katie." While they might not have loved her choice in partner, they at least stood by their daughter for part of the ostentatious events.
Why there were red flags at their wedding
Despite the fact that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a $3.5 million dollar wedding at the Odescalchi Castle in Lazio, Italy, there were some unusual moments about their big day. With all of the guests assembled and Cruise waiting at the front, Holmes kept everyone waiting for an uncomfortably long time. Leah Rimini, a Scientologist at the time, later wrote in her book "Troublemaker," that Cruise stood there smiling "for the next twenty minutes (but what seemed like an eternity)." Rimini also wrote that Holmes and Cruise asked her to invite Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony to the wedding, since Rimini was friends with them, per Vulture.
The wedding was, unsurprisingly, a ceremony of Scientology and, as the Mirror reports, some of the vows were a little unusual. "Girls need clothes and food, tender happiness and frills, a pan, a comb, a cat," Cruise allegedly said to Holmes as part of his vows in a way of promising to provide for her during their marriage.
Besides some of the more unusual moments, the wedding was also lavish and magical. Giorgio Armani designed both of Holmes' dresses for the day, as well as Suri's dress, per People. When asked who was responsible for the whimsy of the evening, a guest said, "It was all Katie. It was the wedding every little girl dreams of." It definitely sounds like it was unreal. "It was so beyond what your mind could compute," Remini said.
People noticed that Katie started acting robotic
While Katie Holmes looked blissed out at her wedding, people started to notice a change in her during her marriage to Tom Cruise. No doubt, the stringent requirements of a life in Scientology meant that Holmes was constantly monitored. As Maureen Orth reported for Vanity Fair, Cruise and Holmes were always surrounded by handlers, even in their own home. On top of that, Holmes had to re-start her own life so it would fit in Cruise's world. "Holmes disappeared for a couple weeks after she and Cruise met, and she distanced herself from old friends," Orth wrote. Orth also noted that in 2010, she sat with Holmes and Cruise at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, where the couple was bombarded by fans throughout the entire meal. "My goodness," Orth addressed Holmes, "if this is what you go through here, what must it be like when you go outside?" Holmes replied, "Oh, we don't go outside very much."
Deb Baer, who interviewed Holmes for that famous "Seventeen" article that started it all later wrote of what she observed in Holmes throughout her marriage to Cruise. "I'd see her on Letterman or Leno, robotically calling Tom amazing for the 400th time and think, that is NOT the down-to-earth girl I met," Baer wrote for the HuffPost.
Jenna Miscavige Hill, daughter to Scientology powerhouse David Miscavige, later wrote in support of Holmes by sharing her own experience, per The Hollywood Reporter. "My experience in growing up in Scientology is that it is both mentally and at times physically abusive," she wrote.
If you or someone you know is dealing with spiritual abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
Tom Cruise didn't see their divorce coming
On June 29, 2012, Katie Holmes filed for divorce from Tom Cruise after five years of marriage, a move that allegedly blindsided Cruise, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "I didn't expect it," Cruise admitted to the German network ProSieben (via CBS News). "Life is a tragicomedy. You need to have a sense of humor," he added. News of the divorce landed right before Cruise's 50th birthday. "To be 50 and to have experiences and to think, you have a grip on everything, and then it hits you: This is it, what life can do to you," Cruise added.
Despite Cruise's brave attitude, TMZ reported that both Cruise and Holmes were seen wearing their wedding rings after the divorce filing. Allegedly, Cruise's two children, whom he adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, Connor Cruise and Isabella Cruise, stayed close by his side during the experience. "Kate has filed for divorce and Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children. Please allow them their privacy to work this out," a rep for Cruise stated.
Meanwhile, Holmes' attorney, Jonathan Wolfe, released a statement as well, according to People. "This is a personal and private matter for Katie and her family," Wolfe said. "Katie's primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter's best interest." Despite the big changes to come to both of their lives, reports aired that Holmes was photographed in New York looking happy and relieved.
Why Scientology factored into their split
After the news broke about Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's divorce, Cruise admitted that a major reason for their divorce was Scientology. Radar got access to Cruise's deposition, which was eye opening when it came to the actor's religion and the impact it had. Lawyers asked Cruise if Holmes left in order to protect their daughter, Suri, from Scientology. "Listen, I find that question offensive," Cruise heatedly responded. "I find it, those statements offensive. Like with any relationship, there are many different levels to it. You know, I, I find it very offensive. There is no need to protect my daughter from my religion."
Cruise relinquished a little during the deposition. A lawyer asked him, "And Ms. Holmes has never indicated in any way that was one of the reasons she left you? ...To protect Suri from Scientology?" Cruise replied, "Did she say that? That was one of the assertions, yes." When asked if Suri was currently practicing Scientology, Cruise said that she wasn't.
Jenna Miscavige Hill, a former Scientologist, told The Hollywood Reporter that she understood Holmes' decision to protect Suri. "As a mother myself, I offer my support to Katie and wish for her all the strength she will need to do what is best for her and her daughter," Miscavige Hill said in a statement. Holmes asked for sole custody of their daughter, so clearly she wanted to make sure that she was in charge of parenting.
Finances after their divorce
It was very advantageous for Katie Holmes that her father, Marty Holmes, was a lawyer and one who really went to bat for his daughter when she divorced Tom Cruise. Marty, of course, wasn't the only lawyer on Holmes' side, but he was a key one. In fact, he had brought his legal talent to his daughter's aid even before her wedding. He had negotiated her prenup with Cruise, a document that "reportedly filled five bankers' boxes," Vanity Fair notes. It was shrewd planning on his part. "Because of it, when Katie Holmes made her bombshell announcement late last June that she was divorcing Tom Cruise, the case was able to be resolved in a mere 11 days," the outlet noted.
Interestingly though, Holmes didn't make out with as much money as one might have expected, considering Cruise's net worth of $600 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. Cruise only gave Homes $400,000 a year for child support, which will end when Suri turns 18, according to TMZ, totaling $4.8 million. Cruise was also made responsible for any other expenses, including medical costs, related to Suri.
There was considerable speculation as to why Holmes settled for so little. As CafeMom hypothesized, Holmes was able to maintain more autonomy in how she chose to raise Suri, including schools, because it would give Cruise less control over. Had Holmes gotten more money from Cruise, he would have had more say, which might have included an education in Scientology for Suri.
How Katie started to thrive after her divorce
There was something remarkable about watching Katie Holmes after her divorce from Tom Cruise. She moved to New York City with her daughter, Suri, and friends told InStyle that Holmes was a resurrected woman, up for all that the city had to offer and eager for new adventures. "I feel like I can be more creative and have more time, have my voice," Holmes told InStyle. "It's sort of, like, just put your stuff out there and be yourself. It takes a while to be comfortable, though." Holmes admitted that she's never felt so creative and so peaceful at the same time. "You can get consumed by what people think, but suddenly you just decide to do things on your own terms," Holmes added. "I feel like I'm finally figuring that out. I'm getting the projects I want made and just relaxing a little."
Holmes found love again too with actor Jamie Foxx. The only problem was that Holmes had, as Radar reported, signed an agreement in her divorce settlement that she wouldn't date anyone publicly for five years after her split from Cruise. On top of that, Holmes was forbidden to introduce any new love interests to Suri. Foxx and Holmes began dating in 2013 but ended up splitting after six years, People notes. However, the relationship was an emotional breakthrough for Holmes. "I don't have any fear now, I don't have a lot of rules for myself, and I don't take myself that seriously," she told People in 2014.
Tom Cruise's relationship with his children today
Tom Cruise shares two children with ex Nicole Kidman. The couple adopted Connor and Isabella Cruise, whom he remains connected to still. Isabella, who goes by Bella, is an artist and social media shy, though she does have an Instagram account where she showcases her art. Bella is still a member of Scientology and married Max Parker in London, according to the Daily Mail. Neither Cruise nor Kidman attended her wedding, which naturally led to speculation that her relationship had frayed with her parents. But she later cleared the air. "Of course [we talk], they're my parents," Bella told the Daily Mail. "Anyone who says otherwise is full of s**t."
Conner, who was born in 1995, has a few film credits under his belt and works as a DJ but, like his sister, he's media shy and rarely posts photos with his parents. However, in 2019, Conner and Cruise were photographed together in London, according to People, where they bonded over a private helicopter. Cruise learned how to fly choppers for "Mission: Impossible" because... of course he did.
As far as Cruise's relationship goes with daughter Suri, whom he shares with Katie Holmes, there's less evidence of a bond. In fact, as Hollywood Life notes, Cruise and Suri haven't been photographed together since 2012. "As challenging as things have become for him and his daughter, he still loves her," a source told the outlet in 2019 and added that Cruise hopes to rekindle the relationship.
Who else they've dated since their divorce
Tom Cruise started dating British actor Hayley Atwell in 2020 when they met on the set of "Mission: Impossible 7," where they filmed together in London and Rome. An insider on production told The Sun that they were a great pair. "Tom and Hayley hit it off from day one," the source said. "They've been meeting up after hours, and she's been to his London pad. They get on brilliantly, and both seem very happy." Atwell was even at the premiere for Cruise's next film, "Top Gun: Maverick."
However, things got rocky between the two and they split once, reconciled, got back together, and split again. In June 2022, they had called it quits, a later publication by The Sun reports. There was no evidence that Scientology was a factor in their breakup.
Meanwhile, Katie Holmes found love after Jamie Foxx with chef Emilio Vitolo but after eight months, they split in May 2021, per Us Weekly. Holmes then began dating musician Bobby Wooten III, who is ten years her junior, Page Six notes. They seem to have quite the New York romance and have been photographed smooching in Central Park and walked the red carpet at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2022 for Holme's film "Alone Together." Their relationship continues to be a delightful hit and Holmes looks happy. She's come a long way since that Seventeen article.