Suri Cruise is getting ready to take off for college, but it doesn't seem like her dad,
Tom Cruise, will be there to help her move in.
His only remaining connection to his youngest child appears to be his wallet.
Tom Cruise has a reputation for getting things done.
But there's one thing the "Top Gun: Maverick" star struggles with, and that's keeping up
a relationship with his daughter, Suri.
Suri is one of Tom's three children, and is the only child from his marriage with actor
Katie Holmes.
In 2006, Katie and Tom welcomed Suri into the world, introducing her on the cover of
Vanity Fair.
The father and daughter duo initially seemed pretty close.
Tom even shared with Oprah Winfrey that Suri would offer him fashion advice.
However, when Holmes and Cruise divorced in 2012, things took a turn.
Ever since then, Tom has never been seen in public with Suri, and it seems that they struggle
to have any sort of relationship.
In 2019, a source told HollywoodLife,
"As challenging as things have become for him and his daughter, he still loves her.
Tom never intended to be estranged from his daughter when he decided to have a family
with Katie, and he looks forward to repairing their relationship one day."
That day still seems to be a ways off.
According to the Daily Mail, 16-year-old Suri already started applying to colleges.
Her love of fashion remains; she's reportedly considering fashion school.
But Tom isn't closely involved in any of it.
A source told the paper,
"Suri does not know her father anymore and she has not spent time with him in a decade.
She does not go to see his movies, and he has no part in her life."
Holmes, meanwhile, is heavily involved in the college application process.
A source told The Daily Mail,
"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."
"She makes every day great, and awesome, and better.
I know myself more because of her."
Tom's one area of involvement is finances.
The Daily Mail notes that his divorce agreement with Holmes requires him to pay his daughter's
college expenses.
Although he hasn't been present for years, the unnamed source shared that he has "always
maintained his responsibilities."
So Suri will definitely have no problem paying for whatever school she attends.
It's been rumored that Holmes has retained almost full custody of Suri because of her
distrust of Tom's adherence to Scientology.
During his divorce trial, Tom said he suspected Holmes had left him and kept Suri from him
because the religion made her uncomfortable.
"I think a lot of people are going to be shocked that Tom acknowledged that religion played
a part in his divorce."
Things are slightly more layered than that, though.
A rumored tenet of Scientology is that members are forbidden from associating with non-members.
Tom is one of the highest-ranking members and would be under pressure to follow such rules.
A source told Page Six,
"This is his loss, his issue, his problem.
He must be really brainwashed."
Holmes filed for divorce in New York rather than California because it's been reported
she thought that would give her a better chance of gaining full custody and getting Suri out
of her Scientology-backed school in Los Angeles.
Holmes allegedly developed a deep distrust of the church during her marriage to Tom,
who is said to have become controlling and off-putting since converting.
A source close to Tom told Radar,
"To him, any partner is an extension of him — and his brand — so he's known to be
very micromanaging."
Even though he hasn't been part of Suri's life in some time, Tom is apparently quite
close with his other two children.
His marriage to his second wife, Nicole Kidman, ended in 2001, also as a result of his ties
to Scientology.
It was widely reported at the time that Tom left Kidman after she allegedly refused to
convert to the religion for him.
Kidman was labeled a "suppressive person" by the church, who reportedly urged Tom and
the two children they share to cut her off.
In their divorce, Tom and Kidman agreed to share custody of their children, Isabella
and Connor.
But according to insiders, it was in name only, as the kids were devoted to Tom and
his religion.
A source told People in 2019,
"Connor and Isabella grew up in the church of Scientology; they've been members since
they were kids.
Connor has been able to remain close with Tom because of Scientology."
As for Isabella, she moved to London and has reportedly decided not to take any financial
handouts from either of her parents, though she insists she is still close to them.
Kidman, on the other hand, insists she hasn't spoken to Connor or Isabella in years, though
she still loves them from afar.
She told Who Magazine,
"They are adults.
They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it's my job to love them."