Custody, images at stake in Cruise-holmes divorce
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes first got together, he jumped on a couch, she gushed girlishly, and many of their fans said, “Huh?’’
Their split could cause just as much drama.
Not only are the images of two Hollywood stars at stake, so is the future of six-year-old Suri, with some speculating that Holmes’ decision to file for divorce in New York might mean she’s seeking sole custody of their daughter. Ultimately, Cruise may have the most to lose. “There’s no question this divorce is going to hurt his public image,’’ said Dorie Clark, author of the forthcoming “Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future.”
“His brand was already tarnished significantly when he first got together with Holmes five years ago and was infamously jumping up and down on Oprah’s couch, and shortly afterward the videos of him praising Scientology were leaked,’’ she continued.
“This divorce is another opportunity for questions to be raised about his personal life, his religious beliefs – which many consider outside the mainstream – and that’s not what a box-office star really wants.’’
California divorce attorney Michael Kelly called Holmes’ East Coast filing “a tactical move’’ that signifies “there will be an attempt to gain an advantage.’’
New York’s comparative-fault divorce laws could be advantageous for Holmes, he said. The couple lived in Los Angeles.
Cruise and Holmes married in 2006 after a whirlwind love affair. He proposed at the Eiffel Tower. Their wedding was held at a 15th century Italian castle.
She filed for divorce Thursday, ending her first marriage. This will be Cruise’s third divorce. He was previously married to actresses Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman, with whom he has two children.