Tom Cruise almost broke down when Barbara Walters asked a question on Scientology: “Is it true…?"
Tom Cruise is a tough cookie to crack, but there have been moments when he has shown raw emotion. Throughout his career, Cruise's legacy has been marked by his controversial association with Scientology prompting him to stay silent about it. But sometimes, things take an unexpected turn—just like when Cruise appeared on 'The View'. Barbara Walters surprised him with a question about Jett Travolta's death, steering the conversation into an unplanned discussion about Scientology.
During his 'The View' appearance in January 2009, Cruise opened up about his grief over the loss of Jett, the son of his close friends John Travolta and Kelly Preston. But with the Travolta family’s deep ties to Scientology—and Cruise being the church’s most famous face—handling the question wasn’t so simple, as per The Things. Walters brought up the tragic death of Jett and after a long pause, Cruise responded, "You know, it’s horrific. You know, like, it’s just horrific. Here’s a man who… both of them, doting parents. Just wonderful people."
Walters also addressed criticisms of the Travoltas' Scientology beliefs, which some have speculated may have played a role in Jett’s death. When Walters questioned whether Scientology discourages medical treatment, she asked, "There has been criticism and there’s so much misinformation... Is it true that in your religion, you don’t take a member of your family or anyone to a doctor unnecessarily?" as per NBC Washington.
Cruise firmly denied the claim, responding, "That’s not true. That’s just not true. It’s actually just the opposite... They say, 'Look, get your physical, get medication, get your physical illnesses handled.' It's actually the exact opposite." Reflecting on the Travoltas' loss, he added, "Look… You all know him and you see him and Kelly… It’s just horrible. I remember Jett when he was born, and I saw him when he was a few months old, and John just adored him. Both of his children. And Kelly. So it’s just something that, you know, I don't have the words for."
For the uninformed, Jett tragically passed away in 2009 at the age of 16 while on a family vacation in the Bahamas, as per Hello! He suffered a fatal seizure, a condition he had battled since the age of two. Jett had also been diagnosed with Kawasaki disease as a baby and was on the autism spectrum. His death was a devastating loss for the Travolta family.
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Eleven years later, in 2020, John faced another heartbreaking loss when his wife, Kelly, died at the age of 57 after a private battle with breast cancer. John recently honored his late son, Jett, on what would have been his 32nd birthday. Sharing a rare family photo with his late wife, Kelly, and Jett, he wrote on Instagram, "Happy birthday, my Jetty—not a day goes by where you’re not with me!" making it clear that the actor is still heartbroken by his loss.