To her mom, she's "an incredible person." To the rest of the world,
she's something of a mystery — so what's Suri been up to lately? From singing in movies to
preparing for a career in fashion, Suri Cruise is blossoming into adulthood on her own terms.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' relationship took the world by storm in the early 2000s,
with their love story becoming fodder for tabloids all over the globe. During an
appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in May 2005, Cruise even jumped up on
the host's couch and proclaimed his love for the "Dawson's Creek" actor.
"Something happened to you."
"I'm in love."
That moment was so crazy that people still talk about it today. Five months later,
People magazine reported that TomKat was expecting their first child together. It was at this point
in time that the stakes for paparazzi seemed to hit a peak. Not only did people want to see photos
of Holmes pregnant, but the world couldn't wait to get their first glimpse of America's
version of a royal baby. Six months later, Suri Cruise made her grand entrance into the world.
However, Tom and Katie decided to keep the first few months of their daughter's life private. Just
about everyone was keeping their eyes peeled for a glimpse of Hollywood's first daughter,
with some even wondering if something was wrong due to the lack of photos. However,
Suri made her official debut in October 2006 — and it was clear that there was nothing wrong at all.
"How is little Suri?"
"She's great, thank you."
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes shared the first photos of their daughter in an
impressive spread published by Vanity Fair. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz,
Suri Cruise looked happy in the pictures. The cover shot
featured the bouncing baby girl in her father's arms, with her mom looking on.
On the inside pages of the magazine, Suri became a star. She appeared in an impressive 22-page spread
along with her parents, smiling and peering into the camera as if she was made for exactly this
moment. And no one was disappointed. Millions of people viewed the first photos of Suri,
and the outlet is said to have broken a one-day record, with the images receiving over
four million views on the magazine's website.
After the first photos of Suri Cruise emerged,
it seemed as though her parents didn't do much to keep her hidden from the world. In fact,
they would often take Suri out to various events, where she was constantly photographed. Not only
did the camera love Suri, but she loved the camera, too. There are tons of photos
of her looking right into the lens, flashing a smile, and even striking a pose at times.
As Suri has gotten older, Holmes has done her best to shield her from the
ever-present paparazzi. In an April 2023 interview with Glamour, Holmes said:
"What has been really important for me with my daughter,
because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her."
As Suri Cruise got a bit older, she became very interested in fashion and loved getting dressed
up. In June 2011, the Daily Mail reported that Suri had quite an impressive shoe collection worth
$150,000. Moreover, she had some really unique pieces in her wardrobe, including custom designs
from the likes of Marc Jacobs and Christian Louboutin. Outside of Suri's closet, she seemed
quite interested in fashion as a whole and started weighing in on her mom's outfit choices, too. In
a 2011 interview with Elle magazine, Holmes had this to say about her daughter's fashion sense:
"She'll really tell me [what she thinks]. Like today I'm wearing brown suede pants,
and she said, 'I don't like your pants.' But then she'll say,
'You've got to wear these shoes.' Or 'That's so pretty, Mom. Wear that.' She's got a great eye."
The next year, Suri found herself back in Vanity Fair, this time involving details of some of her
most stylish outfits. Yes, a 6-year-old got her very own article in Vanity Fair thanks to her
taste in fashion. From her dresses to her stylish coats and shoes, Suri was a walking fashionista.
After spending the early years of her life in California,
Suri Cruise moved to New York City with her mom. Around middle-school age,
Suri was less into cutesy dresses with frills and bows and more into comfy clothes. Suri seemed to
transform into a young lady overnight. She was often photographed with Katie Holmes
living her best life in New York, going to museums, sporting stores, and pet shops.
When considering a move to the Big Apple, Holmes had a lot to think about. But first and foremost,
she wanted to ensure that Suri was getting the best opportunities to be a kid. In an
interview with InStyle, Holmes expressed the excitement she had for moving to Manhattan
with Suri and what a great experience it has been for both of them. Holmes told the outlet:
"Yes, it's a little too exposed at times, and we work hard to maneuver
and navigate. But what I love about New York is that for me and my child,
this is our vibe. When there are 25 things to do every night, it takes you out of your own thing."
Navigating life as a single mom hasn't always been easy for Holmes,
but she has always taken the job seriously. Not only has Holmes really enjoyed motherhood,
but she has specifically raved about being Suri's mom.
"She's just a good person and just sweet."
After moving to New York City with her mom, Suri Cruise enrolled in a private school — Avenues
The World School. Located in the Chelsea district, the school requires its students
to wear uniforms. Students can enroll at preschool age and can attend straight through high school,
with courses designed to prepare them for college. Perhaps unsurprisingly,
tuition for the institution isn't cheap. Back in 2013, for example,
tuition was estimated to be upwards of $40,000 per academic year. While the campus
only first opened in 2012, it boasts quite a track record for its graduating students.
As she began attending the school, Suri started coming into her own and experiencing a different
kind of learning in a safe environment. According to the Daily Mail, she even learned Mandarin
Chinese while attending the school. Of course, the paparazzi haven't been too far behind,
and photos of Suri as she's gotten older still seem to be a hot commodity. Interestingly,
photos of Suri in her school uniform before and after classes are extremely rare,
although US Weekly obtained an adorable pic in October 2012.
As Suri Cruise has gotten older, she's developed a love for working out and
has been spotted heading to and from various classes, including yoga. In 2019, Katie Holmes
told Shape that Suri's been a pretty good workout partner for her. Holmes revealed to the outlet:
"Sometimes I work out with my daughter. It just depends on the day. We have our routines and
occasionally they overlap. But I don't force her to work out with me because I know that's lame."
"The beauty tip that I will pass on to my daughter is to find happiness in everything."
As Suri has gotten older, she's often been spotted as she heads to the gym to get a
workout in. Suri has totally nailed the athleisure look and seems to have embraced
her mom's laid-back, casual style, really becoming one with the people of New York.
"I'm in jeans and a sweatshirt most days, and I like it."
There have been a number of times that Suri has been photographed wearing yoga pants
and a cut-off tank top as she's walking the streets of New York. One thing that can't be
denied is that she's her mom's near-clone.
As Suri Cruise has become a young adult,
the relationship that she has with her mom has certainly changed. However,
the two seem to be closer than ever — even if things look a bit different.
In an interview with Glamour, Holmes even referred to Suri as "an incredible person."
But the buck doesn't stop there. Holmes is such a big fan of her daughter that
she has shown some serious interest in working with her professionally.
The actor even got Suri to lend her singing voice to a project she'd been
working on. The then-16-year-old sang a cover of "Blue Moon" in the film "Alone
Together," which was released in July 2022. Holmes told Yahoo! Entertainment:
"I always want the highest level of talent, so I asked her! She's very, very talented."
In April 2023, Suri's vocals in the film "Rare Objects"
hit streaming platforms. Holmes told Glamour:
"I hope she always does something on my films. I always ask her. But both
of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry,
which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people.
So it comes out of love for me to include someone who I love dearly."
"She's a sophisticated little girl and magical."
Suri Cruise may be a teenager, but she hasn't lost some of the passions that she
discovered when she was young. As she prepares for her college years ahead,
sources say that she hopes to study fashion. A close source told the Daily Mail in March 2023:
"Suri is applying to schools all over the place."
As the world has watched this super famous kid grow and change, it seems that most
people want the very best for Suri as she embarks on new opportunities and forges her
own path in the world. Of course, she will always have her mother's love and support,
which has only helped shape the woman she is becoming. In a 2017 interview
with Town & Country, Holmes had this to say about her daughter:
"Every day, kids get a little further away from you. That's a positive thing. They should be
becoming more independent, but it's heartbreaking. You want them to stay with you forever, but [...]
you have to do everything you can to give them what they need — and then they're going to go."
Indeed, it does feel like just yesterday Suri was peering into
the paparazzi camera while holding her bottle. And so many moms can
relate to what Holmes is feeling as her little girl is little no more.