Tom Cruise has no say in daughter Suri's college despite paying as 'he has no part in her life'
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: It is hard to believe that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's daughter Suri Cruise is nearly 17 years old and applying to colleges. However, it is now being claimed that the 'Top Gun: Maverick' star won't have a say in where she goes to study because he "has no relationship" with her.
A source close to Katie revealed that Suri Cruise, who turns 17 next month, has "sent some applications out" and is "leaning towards" studying fashion at Fordham University in New York City, a choice that would make her fashionista mum very happy. The 'All We Had' actress is reportedly taking an active role in helping her daughter with the college applications, but her dad Tom, 60, will not play a role in the process because he's been estranged from his daughter since 2013, one year after he and Katie divorced.
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'Suri does not know her father anymore'
"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," an insider spilled to the Daily Mail. "Katie takes great pride in her but is also extremely overprotective."
Katie reportedly chose to part ways with Tom over fears about raising her daughter under Scientology, a religion the 'Mission Impossible' actor is closely linked with. The breakdown of their marriage saw Tom and Suri becoming increasingly distant over the years. "Suri does not know her father anymore and she has not spent time with him in a decade," the source alleged. 'She does not go to see his movies and he has no part in her life."
suri cruise looks exactly like both her parents which is also something i suffer from pic.twitter.com/r1h6OsPEEg
— erb (@bentleyliz2) March 16, 2022
The insider, however, noted that while Tom won't have a say in Suri's future, he will cover her college tuition costs per his divorce agreement with Katie. The actor is said to have agreed to pay his ex $400,000 a month until Suri turns 18 years old, per the source. The divorce documents reportedly also state that Tom agreed to pay for all of Suri's expenses including "medical, dental, insurance, education, college and other extracurricular costs." The source added, "Tom has always maintained his responsibilities when it comes to financial obligations to Katie and Suri." Regardless, the Hollywood megastar reportedly hasn't maintained a presence in his daughter's life.
'She is a smart girl'
Another insider told the Daily Mail that Katie has not let the distance between Suri and her father affect her upbringing. "Being raised by a single mom in New York has made Suri who she is. Katie has always put Suri first and Suri loves her mom more than anything," the source explained. "She is a smart girl, and she is turning into a very intelligent mature woman. She has a very close group of loyal friends, and she knows exactly where she comes from." Aside from fashion, Suri is also interested in music -- something she may take up additionally while at college. According to the newspaper, while Tom has not seen Suri in over a decade, he maintains a close relationship with Isabella, 30, and Connor, 28 -- his two children with ex-wife Nicole Kidman.
It is interesting to note that Tom and Katie used to be one of the hottest couples of the early 2000s. They dated for one year before tying the knot in a lavish ceremony in Italy in November 2006.
The 'Logan Lucky' actress, however, filed for divorce six years later, citing irreconcilable differences. Tom addressed the split in an interview with the German TV network ProSieben, saying he "didn't expect" Katie to end their marriage. "Life is a tragicomedy. You need to have a sense of humor," he remarked.