Growing up with negative press, journeying into Scientology, and finding herself in
London. Isabella Cruise is following her own path outside of her famous parents' shadow.
Born on December 22, 1992, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman adopted Isabella
Cruise shortly after her biological mother gave birth to her. According to People,
Kidman knew she wanted to have babies right after tying the knot in 1990. Unfortunately,
her complications with pregnancy made this a difficult task. In an interview with Marie Claire
in 2007, Kidman revealed that at the beginning of her marriage, she had an ectopic pregnancy,
which is a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus. She told the publication -
"It was incredibly traumatic. What will be will be. It's in God's hands."
Kidman's sorrow quickly turned to optimism as she began to consider
adoption. Luckily for her and Tom, they were not only able to adopt Isabella,
but even held her the same day she was born. To Kidman, this proved to be a momentous occasion
as she felt an instant connection with the newborn, telling the Independent -
"I look into those eyes and that crazy love happens — it's crazy love because you'll do
anything when you have a child. It opens up a part of your heart you didn't even know was there."
"I think everything is motivated by wanting
to take care of your children and-and carve a path for them."
In 2001, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's decade-long relationship ended. After
marrying the same year they met, Kidman revealed that since they were madly in love,
their divorce was a hard time for her, and the two had to cooperate as co-parents. Following
their divorce, the pair shared custody of their kids. Still, Tom ultimately became a full-time
parent as Isabella and Connor decided to live with him in Los Angeles, California instead.
Though she made an effort to see them regularly, Kidman has since suggested that she wouldn't
mind them living with her and her husband, Keith Urban, telling the Daily Mail in 2010 -
"They live with Tom, which was their choice. I'd love them to live with us, but what can you do?"
Kidman revealed that she accepted their living arrangements since she felt like
it was her responsibility to let them lead the life they wanted, sharing with HuffPost -
"My daughter and son, their life is molded by the way I live. If I wasn't willing to
take on that responsibility, I shouldn't have adopted them."
"I try to respect them as little people, you know, because that's what they are,
so I give them a voice and I listen to them."
Life under megastars like Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman can sometimes result
in unnecessary attention from the general public. With a father oftentimes on the
receiving end of harsh criticism, it can be tiresome reading crude remarks about
him and watching it affect his livelihood as a human being. While Tom usually tries
to make smart decisions regarding his family's image, he's suggested
that Isabella Cruise is very good at keeping her composure in the face of false rumors.
During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2008, Tom revealed that if something were
to come out that caused Isabella and Connor Cruise to react negatively, he'd reiterate
that everything is okay and not to get caught up by what the media says, telling the host -
"They've grown up with that. I'm sure there's stuff that they don't like,
and you go, 'Okay, that happened, things go wrong, but don't live in
it. Don't live in that because today is a new day and there's plenty of tomorrows.'"
As the daughter of acting megastars, many assumed that Isabella Cruise would follow
in her parent's footsteps, but they encouraged their daughter to follow
her own path. As an imaginative child, Tom jokingly stated in an interview that
Isabella doesn't seem to have an interest in acting, telling the Daily Mail -
"I don't know if Bella will be an actress. Right now,
she says she wants to be a bear when she grows up."
Instead, she decided to venture off into the world of fashion, a passion her ex-stepmom,
Katie Holmes, entertained. After briefly working for Holmes' clothing line, Holmes & Yang,
Isabella enrolled in Sassoon Academy in London to pursue a career in cosmetology. There,
Isabella completed a 12-month diploma course which resulted in her getting a
job as a hairdresser. Isabella then attended the prestigious institute
Delamar Academy of Make-Up and Hair — a university that is responsible for
several of its graduates becoming hair and make-up artists in the TV and film industry.
Following Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise's divorce,
rumors began to circulate surrounding Kidman's relationship with Isabella and Connor Cruise.
The sporadic nature of their split coincided with Kidman seemingly leaving Scientology — a
celebrity-centric religion that garnered a bad reputation for its cult-like practices.
In an interview with Who Magazine, Kidman stated that while she doesn't
share the same beliefs as her children, she still loves them dearly, saying -
"They are able to make their own decisions. They have made
choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it's my job to love them."
An excerpt from Leah Remini's memoir "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and
Scientology" suggested that Isabella was not on good terms with her mother. In the book,
the ex-Scientologist stated that she started to get close to the two kids when she was heavily
involved with the Church of Scientology. One day, the "King of Queens" star asked
them if they visit their mother frequently. According to Remini, Isabella replied -
"Not if I have a choice. Our mom is a f---ing SP."
Within the church, an SP,
or "suppressed person," is a label used to describe anyone who opposes Scientology.
Although her family resides in the United States, Isabella prefers a secluded life in London,
away from intrusive photographers capturing every second of her life. In 2015, Isabella
quietly got married to British I.T. consultant Max Parker. With publications confirming the
news one month after it occurred, Isabella opted for a small ceremony with only a few
in attendance. Surprisingly enough, not even her parents got an invite for this momentous occasion.
While this stirred up questions regarding her relationship with her parents, reports state that
Tom Cruise paid for the event — suggesting that he approved of the marriage. As for Nicole Kidman,
she reportedly didn't know about the wedding to begin with. Sources claim that the wedding
was "Scientology-themed," which could explain the reason for her absence.
In one interview with Mail Online, Isabella attempted to put those rumors to rest saying
that she's still in touch with her parents, despite their absence from her wedding.
"Of course we talk, they're my parents!"
According to Leah Remini, Isabella Cruise's childhood heavily revolved around Scientology
thanks to her father. Through this, she, Connor Cruise, and even Suri Cruise experienced years of
homeschooling, Scientology-based camps, and heavy surveillance under the Church of Scientology.
Isabella held on to her beliefs as she grew up, and she eventually became a certified
auditor within the Church of Scientology. In Scientology, auditors are higher-ups who help
others through their self-examination process — ultimately guiding them as they convert to
their religious lifestyle. Given the list of responsibilities bestowed on auditors,
there need to be preparations in place for those seeking the position.
According to Isabella's testimonial, posted on the website TonyOrtega.org, she revealed that after a
string of tests, she finally became an auditor. She expressed her gratitude toward her father,
her aunt, and the church for encouraging her to finish the training, writing -
"It turned out it was exactly what I needed. [...] This is what I had
been searching for. The missing piece."
Though her venture as a hairdresser seemed to be her calling, Isabella is not afraid to flex her
artistic skills to her string of followers online. Aside from the occasional selfie, Isabella's
Instagram feed is flooded with several dark conceptual pieces mixed with portraits of public
figures. Isabella, however, used her background in fashion to capitalize on her artistic vision.
In 2018, Isabella flexed her creative muscles when she launched a clothing line named Bella
Kidman Cruise. From T-shirts to tote bags, her online store has a wide range
of self-made designs available for purchase. Aside from the incredible business venture,
fans have grown aware of the fact that Isabella named the company after her mother, Nicole Kidman.
Not only did Isabella pay homage to her mom with one of her designs, but she also posted a portrait
of the "Big Little Lies" actor in 2020. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight,
Kidman expressed her love for this creative project, and praised her daughter's talent.
"Bella is a beautiful drawer as well. She's always been able to draw."
September 17th, 2021, marked the 30th anniversary of Hole's debut album,
"Pretty on the Inside." To celebrate the monumental milestone, lead singer Courtney
Love arranged a philanthropic event at Parliament Tattoo in London in October
in support of Treasure Foundation and Clean Break Women's Charities.
Both are organizations that represent similar values to what Hole's album was built around.
Through this, Courtney Love invited several artists to donate their work,
including Isabella Cruise. In light of the news, Isabella announced her involvement
in the art exhibition and expressed her gratitude on Instagram, writing -
"Is this real life? I am beyond excited to be taking part in
this exhibition with the incredible Courtney Love and Parliament Tattoo,
to celebrate 30 years of Hole's Pretty on the Inside. All for charity. What a dream."
Following her parents' divorce, it seemed as though Isabella
Cruise's relationship with Nicole Kidman was nonexistent. In 2012,
Isabella revealed that they were still in touch, telling New Idea magazine -
"I love mom. She's my mom. She's great. I see her sometimes and I speak to her."
However, in 2018, fans speculated that Kidman's relationship with Isabella and
her brother grew sour since she left them out of her speech after winning
an Emmy — even though she mentioned her other kids, Sunday and Faith Urban.
In addition to naming her clothing business after her, it seems that Isabella is taking the
necessary steps to rebuild her relationship with her mother. According to RadarOnline,
an insider told the publication that despite their prior differences, Isabella and Kidman
are making an effort in improving their mother-and-daughter connection, saying -
"Bella and Nicole have really grown closer over the past few months.
They're both focusing on moving forward with their relationship."