Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes to divorce
Cast member Tom Cruise poses with his wife actress Katie Holmes at the premiere of "Tropic Thunder" at the Mann's Village theatre in Westwood, California August 11, 2008. The movie opens in the U.S. on August 13. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Photo by REUTERS
Actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes arrive to attend a reception to benefit UNICEF hosted by Gucci and Madonna at the United Nations headquarters in New York February 6, 2008. REUTERS/Lucas JacksonPhoto by REUTERS
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise. WENN.comPhoto by Mandatory Credit: Andres Otero/ WENN.com
The cover of October issue of Vanity Fair featuring Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and their baby Suri shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz exclusively for Vanity Fair is seen here in this undated handout photo. (REUTERS/Annie Leibovitz exclusively for Vanity Fair)Photo by REUTERS
In this handout photo provided by NBC, actor Tom Cruise (L) stands on the couch during an interview on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" June 8, 2005 in Burbank, California. When asked about his relationship with actress Katie Holmes, Cruise said he is "looking forward to travelling, scuba diving and spending the rest of his life with her." (Photo by Paul Drinkwater/NBC handout) Photo by Getty Images
Katie Holmes' engagement ring is seen as she arrives at the UK premiere of Tom Cruise's "War of the Worlds" in Leicester Square, London, June 19, 2005. REUTERS/Mike Finn-KelceyPhoto by REUTERS
Katie Holmes and then-boyfriend Tom Cruise, pose at the premiere of "Batman Begins" in Hollywood in this June 6, 2005 file photo. REUTERS/Chris Pizzello/FilesPhoto by REUTERS
Tom Cruise and his wife Katie Holmes pose on the red carpet at the British premiere of the film "Valkyrie" at Leicester Square in London January 21, 2009. REUTERS/Toby Melville Photo by REUTERS
Tom Cruise and his fiance Katie Holmes ride a motorbike on the red carpet at a special fan screening of Paramount Pictures "War of the Worlds" at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on June 27, 2005. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni Photo by REUTERS
Tom Cruise and then-girlfriend Katie Holmes smile as they arrive for the David Di Donatello awards ceremony in Rome April 29, 2005. REUTERS/Chris HelgrenPhoto by REUTERS
Actor Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes pose for their official wedding portrait in Lake Braccino, Italy, Nov. 18, 2006. REUTERS/Robert Evans/Handout Photo by REUTERS
Hollywood star Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes wave as they arrive for the French premiere of his latest movie "War of the Worlds" by U.S. director Steven Spielberg in Marseille June 17, 2005. REUTERS/Jean-Paul PelissierPhoto by REUTERS
Actor Tom Cruise accompanies his fiancee Katie Holmes, holding their infant daughter Suri, as they arrive at the city hall in Rome November 15, 2006. REUTERS/Alessandro BianchiPhoto by REUTERS
The cover of the May 1, 2006 issue of 'People' magazine featuring actor Tom Cruise and his then fiancee Katie Holmes detailing the birth of their first child, Suri. REUTERS/People Magazine/Handout Photo by REUTERS
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Pardon the cynicism, but no amount of public couch-jumping could convince some people that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were ever a love match.
The terse announcement from Holmes’ attorney Friday about an impending divorce no doubt came as news to some, but Hollywood marriages are notoriously tricky — think of the duelling egos — so this split is hardly out of left field.
Early reports put Cruise, who turns 50 this Tuesday, away working in Iceland and “blindsided” by his wife’s filing. It’s difficult to believe he was truly surprised by this turn of events, not merely because it was first reported by People magazine. For reasons of common courtesy and good business (and an A-list actor’s life is all about business), it seems unlikely that Cruise was entirely unprepared for this news.
It’s believed Holmes, 33, has asked for sole legal custody and primary residential custody of the couple’s six-year-old daughter, Suri; this is the most telling item in any news of the divorce. The current rumours are that Holmes wants her child away from the influence of the Church of Scientology, to which Cruise has strong ties. It’s also a custody arrangement that could help dampen the enthusiasm of paparazzi, something Holmes would no doubt welcome.
Holmes and Cruise were married in the fall of 2006 after what is generally described as a whirlwind courtship. Their daughter had been born in April that year. There has always been plenty of material in their relationship for gossip websites, starting with Holmes’ confession that she had had a crush on Cruise as an adolescent and fantasized about marrying him one day.
Cruise has had his orientation questioned and his religion mocked, and just about every aspect of his life has been under the microscope. He was previously married to Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman; he and Kidman have two children together. That marriage also ended in a cloud of speculation and odd publicity, and the meaning of Cruise’s mysterious public statement at the time, “Nic knows what she did,” is still cause for gossip.
Holmes’ marriage to Cruise was her first. She was engaged to actor Chris Klein (American Pie) from December 2003 to early spring of 2005.
From the beginning, Cruise’s relationship with Holmes was talked about, and often in a cruel fashion. Conjecture and guesswork made their union a business arrangement, for example, involving contracts and payoffs.
One way or another, this may work out to be a knock-down, drag ‘em out split, rife with malicious chat and ugly rumours. Cruise and Holmes were married for six years. The couple is said to have a pre-nup agreement which would see Holmes leave the marriage with about $15 million.