June 29, 2012 marked the end of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’s six year marriage.
Cruise and Holmes’ partnership began in Europe in 2005, when they were both spotted together in Europe. After about a year’s time, they welcomed their first child, Suri, into the world with open arms and tied the knot in Italy. Although their relationship may have appeared normal, looks can be deceiving for the public. Holmes describes pressure from Scientology as she was in a NDA agreement. She had to find a strategy to get disconnected to protect her privacy.
Cruise was completely blindsided by Holmes’ desire to split. On ProSebian, a German TV network, Cruise told hosts that “I didn’t expect it.” Cruise needed time to process the timeline of their relationship and the turn of events that unfolded. At 50 years old, Cruise believed he would understand life and relationships. However, in Cruise’s own words, “this is what life can do for you.”
Following their decision to divorce, the settlement only took eleven days. Originally, the prenup entitled Holmes to $3 million for each year the pair were married, up to a maximum of $33 million. The eventual settlement allotted Holmes only ¼ of the $16 million dollar total, none of which was allocated as alimony. The child-support Cruise pays is $400,000 a year, upholding Suri’s quality of life and meeting her academic, personal, and medical needs.
Holmes received this small payout for one major reason. Holmes wanted a speedy settlement, and did not care too much about the little details. Talbert, a family lawyer, describes that “they were two motivated people,” regarding the settlement’s timeline. There were also speculations about the legitimacy of Scientology, and Cruise’s association to the religion. However, Holmes did agree to some stricter rules to follow, as the settlement outlines that she can not date anyone, in the public eye, for five years. Holmes’ potential partner could not come into contact with Suri, either.
In the year 2023, Cruise is still deep in a long-custody battle over their daughter, Suri. She is now driving a car at the age of 17, choosing universities, and attending prom, but Cruise will not be around for much of it. This could be devastating for any parent, to not be present for all their child’s big life events. This will not keep Holmes from persisting in the custody battle to safeguard Suri from Scientology.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tom-cruise-on-split-from-katie-holmes-i-didnt-expect-it/
