It's been years since Tom Cruise was seen in public with his daughter,
Suri… but could he be planning for something when she gets older?
In June of 2012, it was officially announced that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were splitting up
after five years of marriage. Some theorized that when Holmes cited "irreconcilable differences"
as the reason for filing for divorce, it was due to their 16-year age difference,
while others determined Cruise's affiliation with the Church of
Scientology was the main motivating factor. Neither of these speculations were confirmed,
but it was noted that Holmes filed in New York rather than California, as it's believed New
York courts tend to lean towards granting one parent custody, rather than joint custody.
A source told the Daily Mail,
"Katie will not be relegated to a secondary role in her daughter's life,
period, and she is prepared to fight Tom in court. Katie isn't going to back down,
and she will do whatever it takes to ensure that she raises Suri herself."
And that's exactly what she did. After being awarded sole custody of Suri,
who was 6 years old at the time, and $400,000 a year in child support,
Holmes picked up and moved out of California with her daughter.
At the time, Holmes' attorney told People,
"Katie's primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter's best interest."
"She's just a good person and just sweet."
Meanwhile, Cruise's rep said,
"Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children. "
After their divorce, Katie Holmes continued to parent Suri, and Tom Cruise visited his daughter.
But in 2013, Cruise was questioned under oath as part of a defamation lawsuit he had filed against
a magazine publisher that ran headlines saying he had "abandoned" his daughter. In the deposition,
he admitted that there had been a 110 day period where he hadn't seen his daughter.
According to court transcripts, the attorney probed Cruise on the amount of time he spent
with his daughter in the months following his and Holmes' split. Cruise confirmed that between
June and November of 2012, he only saw Suri for around 10 days. However, within those months he
also flew internationally to attend a Scientology conference because, in his words, he felt it was
important. When asked why he could spend time at the church but not with Suri, Cruise said,
"Listen, when there is a divorce... things change. And it's more complicated,
as everyone knows when that is, when that occurs, and there are certain agreements;
now you have to ask for permission and organize schedules to make
things happen. So it wasn't — it's not an ideal scene. It's not an ideal situation."
He recounted telling stories on the phone to his daughter,
but agreed that it's not the same as in-person visits. He concluded by saying,
"Certainly what doesn't change is the love I have for my daughter."
Despite his heartfelt sentiment, Cruise eventually stopped seeing his daughter altogether.
In December 2013, just days after settling his lawsuit, Tom Cruise took Suri Cruise
to Disney World. It is believed that because Holmes took Suri to Ohio over Thanksgiving,
Cruise got to spend Christmas with his 7-year-old daughter. They were joined by Connor Cruise,
Tom Cruise's adopted son from his previous marriage to Nicole Kidman.
But was this just a publicity stunt for the "Mission Impossible" actor?
Cruise didn't shy away from the cameras that captured every moment of the two
playing together at Disney World's water park. So,
it would seem that he wanted to be seen as the loving, doting father he claimed to be.
The saddest part that might be a sign Cruise and Suri are estranged, though,
is that this was the last time the father and daughter duo were photographed together in public.
In the decade since, Suri Cruise has grown up and transformed into a remarkable young
lady who bears a striking resemblance to Holmes. The mother and daughter pair are
frequently photographed together every time they leave the house, so if Cruise
were around for a visit, the paparazzi probably would have captured the moment.
"I think it's a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist
and it's something you have to earn."
Tom Cruise has been one of the most recognizable faces of Scientology for
years. The rumors around how the church impacts his personal life aren't anything new, but there
may be some truth to them. Page Six interviewed ex-Scientologist and actor Leah Remini, who said,
"[Cruise is] considered a deity within Scientology. He is second
to David Miscavige, the savior of the free world."
With this level of notoriety within the church,
his estrangement from Suri begins to make sense. Remini also spoke with the
New York Post about what she thought was going on between Cruise and Suri, saying,
"Scientology considers Katie a suppressive person which is an enemy and therefore Tom believes,
like all Scientologists, that he can't be connected to Suri."
Tony Ortega, a Scientology critic, told Us Weekly,
"[There was likely] some nondisclosure agreement saying she wouldn't say anything
bad about Scientology. [...] She wanted to get away and she wanted to get Suri."
Suri had been attending a Scientology-influenced school and was approaching her first "audit,"
where questions are asked to help eliminate negative influences in a Scientologist's life.
When Holmes received sole custody, she was put in charge of Suri's religious upbringing
and education, and she soon enrolled Suri in a Catholic school. Cruise has
made his priorities clear, Scientology first, everything else comes second,
so it wouldn't be surprising if his devotion to Scientology outweighs his dedication to Suri.
"I think I have the coolest daughter in the world."
Looking at the pictures of the mother and daughter walking together around New York,
it's undeniable that Suri is Katie Holmes' mini me. After her divorce,
Holmes ditched the California mansion she shared with Tom Cruise and moved to the
East coast with Suri in tow. They settled on an apartment in Chelsea that cost $12,500 a
month. Then a few years later in 2015, they moved into a penthouse apartment in the same
neighborhood that cost an incredible $25,000 a month. As Holmes told Insider in 2022,
"What I love about New York is that for me and my child, this is our vibe."
And since Cruise is paying, they might as well live it up.
Now a full-fledged teenager, Suri has been applying to colleges to study fashion, and a
source told the Daily Mail that she's planning on staying put in New York City. They said,
"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. [...] Being raised by a single mom in New York has made Suri
who she is. Katie has always put Suri first and Suri loves her mom more than anything."
With Cruise still absent, it's no wonder that Suri
isn't considering going to college back in California where her dad would be.
Tom Cruise and "Big Little Lies" actor Nicole Kidman were married from 1990 until 2001,
during which they adopted two children: Connor and Isabella Cruise. Connor is Tom Cruise's only son,
and he was adopted shortly after being born. Connor followed his father's footsteps into
acting for a time and, of course, into the Church of Scientology. It's reported that
he's still practicing the religion today, so it's understandable why they'd still be on good terms.
After Cruise and Kidman got divorced, Connor and Isabella decided to live with their dad.
Kidman later married Keith Urban and had two children, and the distance between
her and her adopted children grew. At one point, she told the Daily Mail,
"They live with Tom, which was their choice. I'd love them to live with us, but what can you do?"
Today, Connor lives a lowkey life, but he's been photographed with Cruise on multiple occasions.
In 2019, they were spotted together in London, with a source telling People,
"Tom and Connor stepping out together in London was a big deal. It was the same weekend that
Scientology held their annual gathering called the International Association of Scientologists. Tom
has attended numerous times in the past, but this appears to be the first time Connor has gone."
They were also seen at a baseball game together in 2021. So clearly,
Cruise has time for some of his kids — just not Suri.
Although she's dated a little bit since her divorce, having ties to Jamie Foxx,
Emilio Vitolo Jr., and Bobby Wooten III over the years, Katie Holmes has never remarried
and continues to parent Suri as a single mother. The child support Tom Cruise pays no doubt helps,
but without him in the picture, Holmes has learned to rely on those closest to
her while raising Suri, like her own supportive mother. She told People,
"[She] is always willing to fly to me if I need her, and even when I don't."
Holmes has also said that her friends who have kids have also
been a significant source of support, saying,
"I lean on them. For advice, for recipes, for all of that stuff: 'What am I supposed
to do? Can you come over and watch? Can you be a helping hand?' And I do have help,
yes, but... it's your baby, you know? You want to be the one who is there."
Holmes also spoke to Elle about the overwhelming support, saying,
"So many people I didn't know became my friends and helped us out,
and that's what I love about the city."
Cruise's absence has undoubtedly been difficult to deal with, but Holmes has managed to raise
Suri into the beautiful young woman she is today, and all without the "Top Gun" star.
At this rate, it's assumed that Suri and Tom Cruise may never have a relationship
after being estranged for so many years, and with Suri thriving without him. But, ex-Scientologist
Leah Remini has raised a concerning point while speaking with the New York Post. As a past member
of the church, she has a solid understanding of the inner workings of Scientology,
and has spent nearly a decade raising awareness around the church's alleged abuses. Remini said,
"I knew Katie when she was in [Scientology] and she seemed very indoctrinated into Tom's world,
but as time went on, and I understood why she did what she did to protect her daughter...
I'm only assuming that there's some type of agreement to protect her daughter."
Remini believes that Cruise might get in touch with Suri when she's older, and 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."
Her opinion of Cruise is clear, having said he's "not a good person" and "continues to
sit by and watch people's lives get destroyed," but her points are worthy of merit. After all,
she was raised in the church from the age of 9, and has witnessed many of the goings on within.
With that said, whether Suri and Cruise remain estranged is hard to say, and only time will tell.