Suri Cruise, a rare “nepo baby” who stayed out of the spotlight during her formative years, will soon turn 18. The daughter of veteran actor Tom Cruise and Dawson Creek’s Katie Holmes, older readers might remember Suri as a famous baby in the late aughts.
For many, the once-famous baby coming of age marks the cruel passage of time.
The birth of Suri on April 18, 2006, ignited worldwide excitement for the first look at the celebrity tyke. Just five months later, she made her official debut to the world on the cover of Vanity Fair, held by her parents in photos by famous photographer Annie Leibovitz.
However, despite the fanfare surrounding her birth, Suri quietly stepped away from the limelight. She has never been interviewed and rarely makes public appearances.
Upon reaching 18, Suri Cruise stands at a crossroads. Does she revisit the fame of her childhood or persist in her life away from the public eye?
Brought up in Manhattan under the watchful eye of her mother, Katie Holmes, following Holmes’ separation from Tom Cruise, Suri has been largely insulated from media scrutiny and the influence of her father’s Church of Scientology.
Suri Has Reportedly Not Seen Her Father, Tom Cruise, in Over a Decade
An industry source reportedly told Page Six that Tom Cruise has not seen his daughter Suri since 2012. “Katie has safeguarded Suri and she’s a devoted mom,” the insider told the outlet. “This is a girl who is a private citizen. She hasn’t lived her life in public.”
Indeed, it seemed that Tom Cruise had no issue with Suri being in the spotlight occasionally. He was already a father to two adopted children, Bella, now 31, and Connor, now 29, from his marriage with Nicole Kidman. The Interview with the Vampire star appeared content to showcase Suri to the paparazzi.
At six, Suri became central to a major life change when Holmes, aided by her father, a formidable attorney Martin Holmes, filed for divorce from Cruise after six years of marriage.
This carefully orchestrated move used burner phones and reportedly surprised Cruise while he was filming Oblivion in Iceland in June 2012. Tom and Suri were last publicly spotted together at Disney World during the summer of 2012.
Despite seemingly having no personal relationship with his daughter, Tom Cruise did financially support her over the years.
Under their divorce agreement, Tom agreed to pay Katie Holmes $400,000 annually for child support until Suri turned 18. He also consented to cover medical, dental, insurance, education, and extracurricular costs.