Katie and Nicole still under Cruise control
Tom’s former wives remain tight-lipped for good reason
The actresses are bonded in silence
Katie Holmes has moved on. She’s an independent, hands-on single mum to her 12-yearold daughter Suri, she’s found lasting love with Jamie Foxx, and she’s taken on roles in quirky indie films and hit TV shows.
Those years when thenhusband Tom Cruise controlled her life, when former friends whispered that she’d been brainwashed, are a distant memory. But sources allege the superstar actor is still controlling her – and she’s not the only one.
Tom’s previous wife Nicole Kidman also walked away from the Mission:I mpossible star years ago, but it’s claimed agreements both women signed during their divorces still dictate what they can talk about – and who they can talk to.
Actress and former Scientologist Leah Remini speculates, “Why haven’t Katie Holmes or Nicole Kidman spoken out? I assume they were forced to sign prohibitive documents.” Shockingly, g y, the
Kingo f Queens star adds, “Katie’s not allowed to have a meal with me and we used to be close friends. She could lose custody of Suri over it. It’s quite sick, really.”
Firing back, the church insists, “Ms Remini’s ridiculous rants are unending, and the myths and tales she spreads are growing more bizarre by the day.”
A spokesperson labels Leah a “narcissistic self-promoter obsessed with losing her relevance in Hollywood”. But true or not, her comments expose just how deep and raw the wounds still are between Tom, 56, and his famous exes.
Risky business
When Katie, 39, blindsided her husband by filing to end their six-year marriage in 2012, she wanted out fast. And she wanted to make sure she had primary custody of her beloved daughter so she could raise her away from the church.
“She probably signed some nondisclosure agreement saying she wouldn’t say anything bad about Scientology,” notes veteran journalist Tony Ortega, a staunch critic of the religion. “Hanging out with Leah would be considered disparaging the church in the eyes of Tom.” If the former Dawson’s
Creek actress broke her signed agreement, sources claim Tom – who hasn’t been photographed with his daughter since 2013 – could go after custody of Suri, a threat that would be enough to keep Katie from reaching out to Leah.
The former friends have a tortured history. After attending Katie and Tom’s fairytale wedding in 2006, Leah, 48, filed what’s known as a “knowledge report”
that criticised Tom and the church’s leader, David Miscavige, for their alleged odd behaviour, which she claimed was “bringing Scientology down”.
Unsurprisingly, the church didn’t take that well, with the actress saying she was sent to its Florida headquarters for “reprogramming”, which eventually led Leah to break from the religion she’d followed since childhood.
It’s alleged several church members were then asked to write knowledge reports about Leah – including Katie, who claimed that Leah’s behaviour before and during the wedding was “very upsetting”. But in 2015, when Leah went public, Katie apologised, saying, “I regret having upset Leah in the past and wish her only the best.”
Yet Tony believes that is the closest Katie will ever come to criticising the church. “Leah has gone on to become this real lightning rod for exposing Scientology’s abuses, but Katie just wants to keep the life she has now with Suri and not get in a big fight with the church.”
Nicole’s circumstances are wildly different. When she and Tom divorced in 2001, their adopted children, Isabella, now 25, and Connor, 23, lived full-time with their dad and cut off virtually all contact with the Aussie actress, 51.
But in recent years, she’s worked to reconnect with them and, earlier this year, Isabella paid public tribute to her mum by naming her fashion label BKC, for Bella Kidman Cruise. However, if Nicole got on Tom’s bad side, he could put an end to any thaw in their relationship, according to Tony. “Tom could
tell them not to have any contact with their mom. Bella and Connor are fully fledged Scientologists, and are very much under the influence and guidance of their father.”
Sources claim that for both Nicole and Katie, Scientology still poses a threat. “They both know what the church is capable of,” Tony says. “So they would no doubt feel like they’re still being controlled. They have to be aware not to say anything that will anger Tom or the church.”
Still, they are fighting back the only way they can – by leading fulfilling lives postScientology, and raising their kids to be strong and self-reliant.
Nicole has settled in Nashville with her husband of 12 years, country star Keith Urban, 50, and has brought up daughters Sunday, 10, and Faith, seven, far from the Hollywood glare. And Katie – who’s been quietly dating Jamie, 50, for years – has worked hard to give Suri as normal a life as possible.
“Tom chose as wives women who are incredible mothers,” says Tony. “Katie and Nicole have spoken about raising their daughters to be independent, which is the opposite of Scientology teachings. Just living their lives is their way of moving on.”