Tom Cruise & His Daughter Have 'No Part' In Each Other's Lives As Suri Moves Forward With Milestone Events

Mar 23, 2023

Tom Cruise is one of the biggest male actors in Hollywood, having been on our screens since the early 1980s, which makes his career now over four decades long.

Along the way, he's also had some very famous romances. His first marriage was to actress Mimi Rogers, but it was his second marriage to Nicole Kidman that catapulted his private life into the public eye. The couple were married for 11 years and even adopted two children together, Isabella Jane Cruise and Connor Antony Cruise. However, their union wasn't meant to be, and they divorced in 2001.

Tom then had a relationship with Spanish actress Penelope Cruz for three years before finding love again with one of America's sweethearts, Katie Holmes. The pair met in 2005 and quickly became one of the most prominent couples in the entertainment industry. Despite the large age difference, they seemed to be deeply in love, and many fans were rooting for them to make it work.

Their relationship made headlines when Tom professed his love for her on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," famously jumping up and down on the couch. Together the couple had a daughter named Suri Cruise, who was born in April 2006. Tom and Holmes’ marriage wouldn't last either, with Holmes filing for divorce in 2012. The divorce was finalized in just a few months, and Holmes was awarded primary custody of their daughter, Suri.

Suri is now a teenager and has continued to grow up right before our eyes. Like most teens her age, Suri is navigating the opportunities her future might bring, like attending college. However, her dad has not been part of these life-changing moments.

In the years since their divorce, Tom and Holmes have both continued with their successful careers in Hollywood. Cruise remains one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry and has continued to be a major box office draw. Meanwhile, Holmes has focused on her acting career and has also become a successful entrepreneur, launching her fashion line.

While, ultimately, their marriage was not meant to be, they were blessed with a beautiful daughter, Suri. Born on April 18, 2006, in Santa Monica, California, Suri quickly gained attention from the media due to her famous parents and her stylish wardrobe. As a child, she was often seen in high-end designer clothing and accessories. It was reported that at age 6, Suri had amassed a wardrobe valued at $3 million. Growing up in the limelight, Suri was privy to a life of luxury and travel, accompanying her parents on the red carpet and visiting numerous countries, including Japan, Italy and Australia.

TMZ reported that Tom was ordered to pay $400,000 a year in child support – $33,33.33 a month – until Suri turns 18. This totals $4.8 million overall. However, Holmes received nothing in spousal support.

After the couple's split, Holmes was granted primary custody of Suri, and Tom has been seen less frequently with his daughter. This led some tabloids to report that Tom had "abandoned" Suri, leading Tom to take them to court over the defamatory allegations. The court documents revealed that Suri was not practicing Scientology at the time of the case.

Since then, Suri has lived in New York with her mother, and she appears to be leading a very normal life. The Daily Mail reported that Tom and his daughter have been estranged since 2013. According to Us Weekly, the last time Tom was publicly spotted with Suri was also in 2013, as Holmes had previously blindsided him by filing for divorce.

However, people speculated that the sighting was actually just a photo op. Samantha Domingo, author of “Je Suis a Cult Whistleblower: Scientology Kills” and former Scientology follower, spoke with Us Weekly about this. 

She shared that Tom is “not allowed” to have a relationship with Suri since she does not follow the same beliefs as him. “Maybe he did it for a photo op to make it seem like he was connected so he wouldn’t be criticized,” Domingo explained.

According to Yahoo, the last known photos of Tom and Suri are from over a decade ago when the two visited Disneyland together.

While many people have shared their thoughts on why Tom may not be spending time with his daughter, one theory is that the actor is simply way too busy. Tom has been busy in the last few years, starring in new action blockbusters as well as reviving both the "Mission: Impossible" and "Top Gun" franchises. According to his IMDb, Tom has a few projects in the pre-production and development stages as well, meaning the star has even more work lined up in the future.

Tom hasn't been able to see his daughter as much and has even missed some of her birthdays. 

A source close to the actor told "Hollywood Life" ahead of Suri's 13th birthday in 2019:

“As challenging as things have become for him and his daughter, he still loves her. (He) thinks about her all the time and will recognize that she is becoming a teenager and a young woman on her big day. Tom never intended to be estranged from his daughter when he decided to have a family with Katie and looks forward to repairing the relationship one day. But in the meantime, he knows the least he can do is reach out on her birthday.”

However, Suri has continued to live her life with or without her father by her side. She is currently seeking out college opportunities. According to TMZ, part of Tom’s child support payments go toward Suri’s expenses, “including medical, dental, insurance, education, college and extracurricular costs.”

The Daily Mail reported that Suri has started applying to colleges with Holmes’ help, but Tom has not lent a helping hand as he “has no part” in the 16-year-old’s life. A source shared that Suri “has sent some applications out” and hopes to study fashion in New York City. The source added:

“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. Katie takes great pride in her but is also extremely overprotective.”

While Holmes has been “overwhelmed” by her daughter growing up, there’s no doubt she’s happy about Suri’s future. Only time will tell to see how much of it includes Tom.

What do you think about Tom Cruise not being part of this milestone occasion for his daughter? What was your experience applying for schools or helping your loved ones apply? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family and friends.