'She was in love with the dude': How Scientology tore apart Tom Cruise and ex Nazanin Boniadi
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The world is familiar with Tom Cruise and his affiliation with Scientology. The actor has starred in several big-budget movies, but his love life has never been easy. He did, however, once found love through Scientology after Penelope Cruz shattered his heart.
According to Maureen Orth of Vanity Fair, the church allegedly held an audition for actress and ex-Scientologist Nazanin Boniadi to be Cruise's girlfriend back in late 2004. On February 19, 2010, Marc Headley published 'Blown for Good: Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology', an explosive book that exposes the religion's most shocking secrets, when Cruise met actress Boniadi for the very first time, as per New York Post.
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'She was in love with the dude'
In late 2004, Marc Headley, who had spent almost 15 years working for Scientology's LA production firm, Golden Era Productions, came across a few brief audition tapes with young, attractive women discussing their commitment to the religion and their affection toward Cruise.
In Los Angeles, Headley was at a wedding reception with a group of other former Scientologists when a stunning brunette approached him and inquired about Chapter 28 of his book, which described the casting process for finding Scientology spokesperson Tom Cruise a partner.
Headley told The Post at that time: "This girl wants to know all about these audition tapes. She’s like, ‘When did this take place?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know, November, December 2004. She starts crying, gets up and runs out of the room. She was going out with Tom Cruise in December of 2004 — we were still auditioning girls then. That was Naz. That was the first time I ever met Naz."
Headley stated that Boniadi was in love with the man based on her response, presuming that she was unaware of the presence of other women at the time of their connection. "She was in love with the dude," the author told The Post.
Following Cruise's breakup with Penelope Cruz, and prior to his marriage to Katie Holmes, Boniadi, then 25, allegedly auditioned for the "Mrs Cruise" role. However, senior Scientologist David Miscavige allegedly did not quite like Boniadi, which resulted in a dispute between the two.
Cruise was furious with Boniadi because she once had a terrible headache and had trouble understanding Miscavige. Reportedly, Cruise was "inches from her face – pounded on the table and screamed at her for insulting the head of the church." After the incident, two weeks later, ex-spokesperson of the church Tommy Davis informed Boniadi that her "relationship" with Cruise was terminated.
Who is Nazanin Boniadi?
Orth of Vanity Fair claimed in his article that Nazanin Boniadi, an Iranian-born actress who was raised in London and a former Scientologist, was chosen to date Cruise from November 2004 until January 2005. She moved from the UK to the US in 1999, enrolling in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of California Irvine with the goal of becoming a doctor. However, after graduating, her life changed.
Greg Wilhere, a representative of the Church of Scientology, allegedly approached Boniadi, who was already dating a Scientologist, and informed her that she had been chosen for a significant covert task that would involve meeting dignitaries and maybe saving the world.
The Vanity Fair piece by Orth claimed that she went through a month-long "auditing" process in which she divulged private information to Wilhere, including specifics about her sex life. After her purported "Mrs Cruise" role, Boniadi resumed her acting career a few years later — this time for Hollywood roles.
