How Katie Holmes Ditched Paparazzi When Suri Cruise Was A Child
Suri Cruise, the daughter of actors Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, has been a source of media fascination since she was born in April 2006. With her daughter growing up in the spotlight, Holmes has opened up about her desire to maintain Suri's safety and privacy in the wake of intense paparazzi coverage.
In order to do so, the actor has employed a number of strategies over the years, including a delayed public debut, a cross-country move, and covert outings. "We were followed a lot when she was little," Holmes told InStyle in 2022. "I just wanted her outside, so I would walk her around to find parks at, like, 6 in the morning when nobody would see us."
Not only are her parents known for their notable acting roles, with Holmes previously starring in the classic series "Dawson's Creek" while Tom is famous for movies such as "Top Gun" and "Mission: Impossible," but Tom's association with the Church of Scientology has similarly made Suri a source of public interest.
The media was obsessed with Suri even before she was born
Even throughout Katie Holmes' pregnancy with Suri Cruise, the press was obsessed with the soon-to-be baby. When talking with Vanity Fair in 2006, the Ohio native revealed that the media attention was so extreme that she and Tom Cruise had to make arrangements for at-home pregnancy appointments, explaining that they purchased a sonogram machine for their doctor's use.
Following Suri's birth, the couple maintained their daughter's privacy for several months by staying at home and not releasing any public photos of their newborn. At the time, the decision amassed major media attention, with outlets and fans itching for the child's debut. "All we wanted to do was spend time with Suri and our family and friends," Holmes explained.
Eventually, the couple posed with their new daughter for Vanity Fair in October of 2006, with Suri's public reveal making for major news. The media attention was only the beginning of the paparazzi's obsession with Suri, forcing Holmes to find new ways to secure her daughter's privacy and safety.
Holmes has always wanted to give her daughter a normal childhood
Besides maintaining Suri Cruise's anonymity in the months following her birth, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise's decision to homeschool their daughter similarly protected her from paparazzi. Unfortunately, according to Us Weekly, Suri was enrolled in a program created by the Church of Scientology, which Holmes took great issue with.
Once Holmes and Tom Cruise divorced in 2012, with Tom's dedication to Scientology allegedly being a major factor, Holmes and Suri moved across the country from Los Angeles to New York City where the young girl was enrolled in a private school. Over the years, Suri has continued to be a source of public interest, but Holmes has done her best to give her daughter a relatively normal childhood.
"My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now," Holmes told Town & Country. "It's very important that I'm present and she has a stable, innocent childhood. I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there's nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed."