As a Hollywood A-lister, Tom Cruise’s love life has been the topic of mainstream media ever since 1983 when his breakthrough film Risky Business hit theaters. His dating history consists of a string of high-profile romances, including three famous marriages, all of which coincidentally (or not) ended when his wives were 33 years old.
Tom Cruise has a thing for dating his co-stars, but after his infamous divorce from Katie Holmes in 2012, the movie star seemed to have pumped the breaks on public relationships. He has attempted to keep the ladies he’s dated in recent years under wraps, but nothing stays a secret in Hollywood. Today we are looking at all the women Tom Cruise has dated, married, or was rumored to be in a relationship with. Plus, we included a conspiracy theory surrounding his love life called the 33 Conspiracy.
Melissa Gilbert: Before He Was Famous
Melissa Gilbert, known as Laura Ingalls from The Little House on the Prairie, revealed that back in the early ‘80s, she and Tom Cruise dated. He was only 19 and had just moved to L.A. “Actually, when I dated him, he was Tom Mapother still. It was when he first moved to Los Angeles, and I think I was 16, maybe, or 17?” Melissa said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.
She went on to explain that she didn’t sleep with him: “We made out, but, honestly, there was no sex. He was a good kisser. But, you know, he was, like, a struggling, starving actor. I actually bought him his first set of dishes.”
Heather Locklear: Didn’t Like His Dancing
Although Heather Locklear was never Tom Cruise’s girlfriend, she did go on a date with him (sort of), but it didn’t exactly go well. In a 2013 interview, the actress explained that they both “auditioned for something” together back when Tom “didn’t have friends” in Hollywood in the early ‘80s, so they went dancing.
Locklear went on to say that he started doing his dance from Risky Business while they were at the club. “He started doing the splits,” she said. “You just kind of stand there and don’t know what to do. Do you dance around him? So, I was like, ‘I’ll just sit down, and you can.’” That was their first and last date.
Rebecca De Mornay: Found him Annoying at First
Rebecca de Mornay played Tom Cruise’s love interest in his breakthrough film, Risky Business, which was released in 1983. It turns out that life imitated art as their chemistry continued off-screen. While filming the movie, the two had an “intense” affair which continued after the movie wrapped. But it didn’t last forever.
Rebecca jokingly told Celebrity Page that at the beginning, Tom was “extremely annoying,” but then admitted that “he came to grow on me because we wound up together for two and a half years after the film.”
Cher: Dyslexic Lovers
On Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Cher revealed that Tom Cruise made her “Top 5” lovers list. “I had just the greatest lovers ever. Not a long list. It’s just a good list,” said the 74-year-old singer. In a separate interview, Cher shared how she and Tom got together in the first place:
“A bunch of people who were dyslexic were invited to the White House, and Tom and I are both dyslexic. We didn’t go out till way later, but there definitely was a connection there.” The singer added, “Though I don’t get what he does, that whole Scientology thing. I can’t understand it, so I just… don’t.”
Mimi Rogers: When He Joined His Religion
Tom Cruise infamously joined the Church of Scientology during his relationship with Mimi Rogers. When Tom and Mimi met, she had been divorced for a few years after being married to Scientologist Jim Rogers. During a 1986 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Tom recalled, “I met her at a dinner party about a year ago when I was developing Top Gun. She was dating a friend, and, uh, I thought she was extremely bright.”
But Mimi Rogers had a different story: “I wasn’t seeing anybody, he wasn’t seeing anybody, and they thought, ‘These people should be going out with somebody – let’s see if they want to go out with each other.’ And we said, ‘Aw, what the heck. OK.’”
Mimi Rogers: When He Joined His Religion
Tom sounded totally smitten in another Rolling Stone interview that came out just a few days before the couple announced their split. “I’d never been in love before. Since I’ve been with her, it’s opened me up a lot. I think it’s helped me be a better actor. We lived a lot of life together. We share everything,” he gushed.
“I care about my wife more than anything in the world. She’s my best friend. I just really like being with her, you know? I love her,” he later added. The interview came out in 1990, the same year the lovebirds’ divorce was finalized.
Nicole Kidman: Life Imitating Art
Tom Cruise tied the knot yet again, this time with Moulin Rouge! star Nicole Kidman. The pair met on the set of their movie Days of Thunder in 1990, where they played lovers. Once again, life imitated art, and by the end of the year, they walked down the aisle. Throughout their 11-year marriage, Tom and Nicole adopted two kids: Isabella in 1992 and Connor in 1994.
While they were married, the Hollywood power couple shot another movie together, Eyes Wide Shut (1999). In a recent 2020 interview, Nicole looked back at their time on set together and told The New York Times how she remembers it:
Nicole Kidman: Life Imitating Art
“We were happily married through that. We would go go-kart racing after those scenes. We’d rent out a place and go racing at three in the morning. I don’t know what else to say. Maybe I don’t have the ability to look back and dissect it. Or I’m not willing to.”
Nicole never joined Tom’s Church of Scientology, but their children became active members. In 2001, Tom and Nicole announced their breakup, and two days later, Tom filed for divorce. Nowadays, the exes barely ever see each other. “Tom has had little to no contact with Nicole in the 18 years since being married, and that’s fine by him,” a source close to Tom told HollywoodLife exclusively. “He really does not miss her much at all.”
Penélope Cruz: Still Friends
After the divorce, Tom Cruise decided to take a break from marriage, and when he met Penelope Cruz in 2000 on the set of Vanilla Sky, the two started dating. They spent three wonderful years together before engagement rumors started circulating.
But the reps of the former couple confirmed that they broke up in 2004. At the time, Penelope’s spokesperson told PEOPLE, “They remain good friends and still talk often. There is no other person involved.” It’s nice to know there was no scandal involved, and they went their separate ways on amicable terms.
Sofia Vergara: Before She Became Gloria
Tom Cruise briefly dated the Modern Family beauty after his breakup with Penelope Cruz, when the actor was apparently looking for someone who would appreciate and embrace the world of Scientology, but she wasn’t into it. However, sources involved in Cruise’s love life strongly denied that was the case.
But in 2012, an interviewer at The Daily Beast mentioned that he hadn’t heard too much about what it was like to date Cruise. Laughing hysterically, Vergara exclaimed, “Let’s keep it that way! I don’t want to talk about that!”
Scarlett Johansson: Auditioned to Be His Wife
Just like Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson wasn’t really into Cruise’s Scientology scene. This relationship hasn’t been confirmed, and they were never photographed on a date together. But at an Ambassadors for Humanity gala in February 2005, the two looked perfectly cordial.
There is a huge conspiracy theory out there about Tom Cruise’s love life. Part of the theory claims that he is secretly gay, and in order to “cure” himself, he (and the Church of Scientology) held auditions to find him a wife. Reportedly, Scarlett auditioned for the role! Both Scarlett and Tom have denied these claims, so take this crazy conspiracy with a grain of salt.
Nazanin Boniadi: An Unforgettable Group Date
According to a 2012 report in Vanity Fair (the details of which were denied by the Church of Scientology), Nazanin dated Cruise between October 2004 and January 2005. But it quickly became clear that they weren’t right for each other. At the time, the Iranian-born actress was relatively unknown but would later land roles on How I Met Your Mother, Scandal, and Homeland.
Vanity Fair also claimed that for their first date (a group outing), Tom planned a private tour of the Empire State Building followed by a delightful dinner at Nobu. After that, they went ice skating at the rink at Rockefeller Center, which he rented out for the occasion.
Nazanin Boniadi: An Unforgettable Group Date
When Nazanin Boniadi was allegedly recruited to date Tom Cruise, she was already a Scientologist. It was an important thing that they had in common and was a huge part of the appeal, but she later left the Church. The Church referred to the mission to set up Boniadi and Cruise, a “phantom project that never existed.”
“I’d rather not talk about that. It’s something that I’m not happy to…” the actress told The New York Post, trailing off when asked about her ex. “Like I said, I have so many positive things happening in my life; it’s a shame not to talk about that.”
Katie Holmes: He Jumped for Joy on Oprah’s Couch
Here is where Katie Holmes enters the picture. To this day, she remains Tom Cruise’s most famous ex. In 2004, she ironically told Seventeen Magazine that she “used to think that [she] was going to marry Tom Cruise,” which sounds like a never-going-to-happen celebrity crush. But not for Holmes, who started dating the movie star the following year.
In April 2005, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise made their first public appearance as a couple. The new lovebirds were in Rome, where Tom was receiving his David di Donatello Award for lifetime achievement. One month later, Tom jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s couch, proclaiming his love. Oprah’s response was, “The boy is gone.”
Katie Holmes: He Jumped for Joy on Oprah’s Couch
Their relationship got serious quickly. In June 2005, at the premiere of Batman Begins, the actress revealed that she was converting to Scientology. Later that month, her engagement to Tom was announced. Katie was pregnant by October, and in April 2006, they welcomed their daughter Suri.
In November 2006, the couple exchanged vows in Italy, and everything seemed fine and dandy until June 2012, when Katie filed for divorce. A month later, a settlement for custody of Suri was decided. A year after the split, Tom admitted that he “didn’t expect” that divorce.
Cameron Diaz: Just a Rumor
Right after his split from Katie Holmes, rumor had it that Cruise was dating his Knight & Day co-star. Although he has a tendency to date his castmates, the rumors about him and Cameron Diaz turned out to be false. But the two got along great on the set of the movie.
When she was asked how she celebrated her 40th birthday (which Tom denies attending, despite pictures) on The Graham Norton Show, “I happened to bump into Penelope Cruz, Javier [Bardem], Tom and his son in a hotel and joined them for dinner. At midnight I said, ‘I’m 40!’ So, we took pictures and then said, ‘Goodnight, see you later, blah blah blah,’ and I haven’t seen him since. But the next thing I know, apparently, I am dating him, and it’s full-on, and he is coming after me!”
Laura Prepon: Also Not True
In 2014, rumors spread that Tom Cruise and Laura Prepon were dating, and their new fling became the talk of the set of Orange Is the New Black. But it turned out to be vehemently false. Both parties denied any romance.
“It’s just so funny that, when people don’t know, they just make stuff up, [like] apparently I’m dating Tom Cruise right now,” the actress told She Knows. “And apparently he doesn’t want me doing [OITNB] because I portray a lesbian and I’m a Scientologist.” She confirmed that “This is false. Where are they even getting this stuff? It’s unbelievable to me.”
Vanessa Kirby: Probably Never Happened
In March 2017, Cruise was reportedly head over heels with the British actress who plays Princess Margaret in the Crown and in Mission: Impossible 6 with Cruise. She didn’t help her case when she admitted to The Times of London that she was seeing somebody on the downlow.
But E! found out that there was no truth to these speculations. Audiences can just watch the movie and analyze their chemistry for themselves. Although the details of his personal life remain a secret, he has plenty of public appearances to get ready for.
How Tall is He?
How tall is Tom Cruise? 5.7. See guys, height doesn’t matter. If Tom Cruise can get all these ladies, so could you! He isn’t currently married but he might have a new lady (unconfirmed). Here is a recent development: Tom is currently dating Hayley Atwell, whom you may recognize as Peggy Carter from the Captain America movies. According to The Sun, Hayley and Tom were filming Mission 7: Impossible together in the midst of the pandemic, and it was all butterflies and roses after that.
“Tom and Hayley hit it off from day one,” a source revealed to The Sun. “Lockdown, and all the difficulties that came with it, brought them even closer, and they’ve become fairly inseparable.” It should be noted that this hasn’t been confirmed by either Tom or Hayley. But to be fair, Tom hasn’t confirmed any relationship after Katie.
The 33 Conspiracy
I know you have been waiting for this, so let’s talk about the “33 Conspiracy.” First, I just want to clarify that this is all just a conspiracy theory and is meant for entertainment purposes only. Okay, now that we got that out of the way, let’s put on our tinfoil hats and get into it.
Forget number 13; for Tom Cruise, number 33 has proven to be unlucky. Fans noticed a strange pattern about all the movie star’s divorces. His ex-wives, Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes were all curiously the exact same age when they divorced the actor: 33 years old. In July 2012, just days after Holmes filed for divorce, the first link was identified. Here is everything about the 33 conspiracy and the chilling links to Cruise’s religion, Scientology.
A Clear Divorce Pattern
In 1987, Cruise married actress Mimi Rogers and the couple seemed over the moon before they divorced three years later in 1990. That same year, Cruise exchanged vows with 23-year-old Australian actress Nicole Kidman after meeting her on the set of Days of Thunder.
In 1992, they adopted their daughter Isabella, and in 1995 they adopted their son Connor and looked like they were in it for the long run. But in 2001, just months after renewing their vows on their 10th anniversary, the high-profile celebrity couple split – when Kidman was 33.
Coincidence? I Think Not…
Five years later, in 2006, Cruise walked down the aisle with Katie Holmes and welcomed their daughter Suri Cruise into the world later that same year. In 2012, when the couple announced their divorce, gossip spread about Tom’s religious beliefs and ties to Scientology which played a crucial role.
All three divorces followed the same weird pattern; all women were 33 years old when they split up with Tom Cruise; is this a huge coincidence? Internet sleuths don’t believe in coincidences and think there might be something a little more sinister going on here.
The Theory Begins
The headline-worthy breakup between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes was the first time the Cocktail star wasn’t the one filing the divorce papers. Holmes opened up to TMZ at the time about the reason she ended things with Tom: she was worried that Cruise would “drag” their 6-year-old daughter down the rabbit hole of the religion as she grows up.
But a spokesperson for Cruise has stated that the actor was heartbroken by the divorce news. For some reason, Scientology wouldn’t recognize the divorce. This doesn’t seem to bother Holmes, though; as long as it’s legally recognized, she doesn’t seem to care what the Church thinks.
The Role of Scientology
So, how exactly would Cruise’s controversial beliefs have anything to do with his marriages and subsequent divorces? To understand, you need a little bit of context about Tom Cruise’s religion and what makes it so controversial. So, what is Scientology?
The Church of Scientology “is a religion that offers a precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one’s true spiritual nature and one’s relationship to self, family, groups, Mankind, all life forms, the material universe, the spiritual universe, and the Supreme Being.”
Are They the Illuminati?
There is a long string of celebrities who have the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health sitting on their nightstands, fueling the longtime rumors that The Church of Scientology pulls the strings in Hollywood. Whether it’s vetting deals, arranging marriages, or spying on stars, it is believed that some powerful people are behind the scenes, controlling mainstream media.
Scientology is a philosophy in which individuals focus on the spirit, as opposed to the body or mind. They believe that a person is more than just a product of their DNA and environment and that there is more to a human being than just nature and nurture.
The Reason Scientology Has a Bad Rap
At first glance, this doesn’t seem like such a crazy concept. People should always strive to be better and never let their circumstances hold them back. But Scientology holds some beliefs which extend from fundamental truths. Among them are: “Man is an immoral spiritual being,” “His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime,” “His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.”
This mind-over-matter idea is wonderful until it starts to debunk science. The religion isn’t like most, where one is asked to accept everything based on faith alone. In fact, the opposite is true: a person realizes that the principles of Scientology are correct by implementing them in their day-to-day lives and then observing or experiencing the result.
The Church Was Admittedly Involved
In 2012, former Church of Scientology executive Mark Rathbun admitted that Tom Cruise’s first two marriages caused some tension in the Church. Apparently, the divorces had more to do with the Church than anything else. Rathbun told Vanity Fair:
“There were allegations and counter-allegations about fidelity, but the central problem was Nicole did not want to deal with Scientology… I participated in the Mimi divorce and in the Nic divorce. Both women got cold on [the chief of the Church of Scientology, David] Miscavige. He was integral to the breakup of the marriages.”
The 33rd Parallel
With confirmation that Scientology was at least partly responsible for the end of the actor’s relationships, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton decided to dig a little deeper and see if number 33 was symbolic or had any significance with the Church. He found that there were various connections to that number.
If you look back to the first Church of Scientology, it was established in Phoenix, Arizona, located on the 33rd Parallel. The 33rd Parallel is the circle of altitude that is 33 degrees south or north of the Earth’s equator. There are other conspiracies concerning the 33rd Parallel, including UFO sightings and the location where John F. Kennedy was assassinated. (But that’s a theory for another time.)
Hidden Messages
If we are going to be conspiracy theorists, we are going to be good ones, meaning we have to look at numerology. Number 33 is connected with the power of healing through love, and individuals whose life path number is 33 are said to be totally selfless people who love unconditionally.
Number 33 is also called the “Master Teacher,” which in numerology represents altruism and raising mankind’s positive energy, according to Seven Life Path. The traits of the “Master Teacher” strongly resemble the philosophy of Scientology which strives “to enable Man to improve his lot through understanding,” as per the religion’s official website.
Unlucky Number 33
So, this is all fun and dandy, but what the heck does it have to do with Tom Cruise’s divorces? Well, here is the full story. Allegedly, Tom Cruise is actually gay, which is not permitted in Scientology. In order to “cure” him, the Church arranged for women to marry him and lock them in a contract for 3-5 years (until they are 33 years of age).
The Church pays the women for their services, and they get a bonus if they have a baby with him (allegedly). The women are released from their contract when they turn 33 because the number is meaningful in Scientology, but this sounds absolutely crazy, right?!
Just a Crazy Theory?
Although this might seem completely far-fetched and insane, some women have been exposed as auditioning for the role of Tom Cruise’s wife, most famously Scarlett Johansson (who has denied it). This theory may sound ridiculous, but it’s not any crazier than Scientology.
Longtime Scientologist Juliette Lewis also added her two cents to the conspiracy, adding more fuel to the theory about the world’s most famous Scientologist, Tom Cruise. She claims to have auditioned as well. While promoting her indie, Kelly & Cal, in 2018, Lewis opened up to The Daily Beast:
Defending Tom Cruise
“The mainstream media is funded by pharmaceutical companies. When you have the biggest movie star in the world at the time − Tom Cruise – coming out against anti-depressants and Ritalin and just saying, ‘Hey, why don’t you put a warning label on there?’ So, when Tom came out about that, I’ve never seen someone get torn down so hard, and they still brutalize him with Scientology pieces to this day.”
She went on to defend the religion, expressing that “The thing about Scientology is it is anti-drug in that you’re seeking a relationship or communication tools – simple basics on how to live better.” She continued, “It’s a religious philosophy and self-help movement. And you’ll never see a truthful word written about it in mainstream media.”
She Wasn’t the Only One
A former Scientologist claimed to be one of the various women who “auditioned” to be Tom Cruise’s potential wife before he tied the knot with Katie Holmes. Ms. Johansen is described as an “entrepreneur, scientist, chemist, musician (trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn), artist, dancer, Scientology whistleblower, animal lover, and geek from wonderful Norway,” according to Twitter.
An article entitled Women’s Day and the Underground Bunker, a blog about Scientology by Tony Ortega, claims that Anette Iren Johansen admitted to having been a contender for the role of Cruise’s wife. Ms. Johansen grew up in Norway but was studying to become a vet in Copenhagen in 2002 when she was introduced to Scientology. She was featured in many Scientology training films and magazines, and in 2005, she claims to have auditioned for another project.
What Are Your Fantasies?
But this time, she said there was no script. She said that instead, “they asked me so many questions about my life, my family background, everything I’d ever done in Scientology. There was a lot of talk about Tom Cruise at the time; he had just been in Norway [hosting] the Nobel Peace Prize concert.”
Then, 27-year-old Johansen was required to sign a waiver promising not to expose any details of the “audition.” She claimed that a while later, she received a phone call from someone at “Golden Era Productions” in California, who asked her a series of personal questions, including her “sexual perversions.”
Ms. Johansen Wasn’t “Perfect” Enough
Allegedly, Ms. Johansen was one of the ladies considered for the role of Tom Cruise’s wife in 2004 and 2005. Ortega quoted Marc Headley, another former Scientologist who claimed to have seen some of these auditioned while he was still a member of the Church.
He elaborated, saying that Johansen’s interview “was for Tom Cruise. Absolutely. Those are the exact same questions that they were asking the other girls… The reason the sexual questions came up was that they had some girls with histories that weren’t so great. So, they were being careful. This girl has to be perfect in all ways.”
The Audition Process
Headley went on to explain that the Church searched the globe for the ideal candidate because “it was slim picking in Los Angeles. In L.A., there were a lot of pretty girls, but they had a lot of baggage, by Scientology standards.”
Ms. Johansen is not the first of the last women to be linked to such seemingly outrageous claims. Vanity Fair published an article alleging that actress Nazanin Boniadi also “auditioned” in a similar matter and even dated the actor for several months to check out their compatibility. The Church of Scientology denies all these accusations.
Does the Conspiracy Hold Up?
Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for the Church, released a statement to The Independent: “We stand by the statement we issued last year: there was no project, secret or otherwise, ever conducted by the Church to find a bride [via audition or otherwise] for any member.”
Like many conspiracy theories circulating around the internet, this one sounds ridiculous. This doesn’t fall into the conspiracy theory category of the moon landing hoax or 9/11 government involvement; this sounds more like a lizard people and flat earth theory. Either way, the Church of Scientology is a peculiar institution in itself, so I wouldn’t put anything past them too quickly. What do you think?