Inside Suri Cruise's Life At Home
Being the daughter of well-known celebrities like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes comes with a price. Some good, some bad. From her silent birth in 2006 to her inevitable growth into a teenager, the life of Suri Cruise has been both known — and unknown — to the general public. While we can assume that her life at home is drenched in high-class privilege, that kind of lifestyle can be difficult for a growing child to manage — something which Holmes made sure to oversee ever since her sudden divorce from Tom in 2012. Despite the attention, Suri Cruise may attract due to her notable parents, her life at home isn't entirely lawless. In hopes of granting her daughter some sense of "normalcy" in her life, Holmes tries to instill the values her family taught her into her now 16-year-old daughter (via People).
What are these "normalcies" exactly? Some of these may include freedom of expression, embracing gratitude, and, most importantly, having a good relationship with her family. It's clear Katie Holmes wants nothing but the world for her daughter, but she also wants her to understand the role that privilege plays in the Holmes household. It's merely a construct that allows her to have a great life, not something that determines worth and value. In addition to this, there are a lot of other anecdotes about her life that may shock us. To explore that notion further, here are a few things we know about Suri Cruise's life at home.
Suri Cruise doesn't see her father that often
The relationship between a child and their father should be nurtured and protected. Sadly, this doesn't seem to be the case with Suri Cruise and her absent father. Since Tom Cruise's last public outing with his daughter was in 2012, it's safe to assume that their relationship isn't on good terms. Although Tom stated that he still loves his daughter (via Hollywood Life), the two haven't had much contact over the years. So much so that in 2016, InTouch Weekly stated that Tom had not seen or spoken to her in over two-and-a-half years. As of April 18, 2021, many believe that the number of days without contact has increased since Tom Cruise spent his daughter's 15th birthday in England shooting "Mission: Impossible 7."
Their strained relationship may have caused Suri Cruise to no longer reach out to her estranged father. Despite custody rulings limiting the number of times Tom could visit her, he seems to blame his fatherly shortcoming on his on-screen commitments — with one source telling New York Post that "if he wanted to see her, he could see her" (via Hindustan Times) In hopes of avoiding negative attention from the public, Katie and Suri have not spoken about the distressing relationship. As their mother and daughter bond grows fonder, it seems that Tom Cruise may be a sensitive subject that the two choose not to speak about publicly — as it may lead to opening old wounds.
Suri Cruise doesn't practice Scientology
Often, religious beliefs held by parents can wreak havoc on the livelihood of their growing child. Although Suri Cruise spent her earlier years close to those in the Church of Scientology, it was merely due to Tom Cruise's influence. Tom has become a prominent figure in the Church of Scientology ever since his first wife, Mimi Rogers, introduced him to the now-controversial religion (via The Daily Beast). What Katie Holmes described as an "intense time" for herself and her daughter resulted from a sudden — yet calculated — breakup that saw The Dawson Creek actress escape the clutches of Tom's religious lifestyle. In a deposition regarding his $50 million lawsuit against Life & Style and InTouch magazines for defamation, Tom revealed that his religion may have played a role in his divorce — suggesting that their split was not only for her sake but for Suri's as well (via New York Daily News).
When asked if Holmes wanted to stay away from Scientology to protect Suri, Tom stated, "Did she say that? That was one of her assertions, yes." Furthermore, when lawyers asked if Holmes still practices Scientology, Tom said, "no." Alongside growing a distaste for the celebrity-centric religion, it seems that Holmes doesn't want her child to be involved with Scientology in any way. Her move from Los Angeles to New York City was likely an attempt to distance herself and her daughter away from the lifestyle she seemingly dislikes.
She attended private school after her parents divorced
To honor Tom's religious beliefs, Suri spent her earlier years being homeschooled. According to an interview with New York Magazine, Katie Holmes said she loved having "one-on-one education." Since their divorce, however, Holmes opted to have Suri attend school in hopes of giving her a normal life — something that most children of successful actors-slash-actresses don't have. Despite reports suggesting that Suri was enrolled in the Manhattan private school, Convent of the Sacred Heart, E! News stated that she attended Avenues in 2012 — the same year Tom and Holmes called it quits. Although Avenues may not have an alum full of notable celebrities like Paris Hilton or Lady Gaga, the lavish private school offers Suri the sense of normalcy that Holmes is looking for. The school enforces dress codes, it's academically advanced, and doesn't offer any special treatment whatsoever.
Although this may seem counterintuitive due to how protective and private Holmes is, she understands the importance of having Suri get a good education without isolating her. It also helps that the luxurious private school doesn't give away information about the students attending the school. According to E! News, an Avenues representative stated, "It is our policy not to comment on any prospective or current student, parent, and family members." While a $40,000 per year private school isn't necessarily "normal," it is as normal as it can get for a child like Suri.
Katie Holmes limits her time online
Since their move to New York City, Katie Holmes seems to dislike drawing attention to herself and her beloved daughter. While we all know about their adorable relationship, we only see glimpses of it through brief responses in interviews and quick snapshots on Holmes' Instagram. According to an interview by People, Holmes is very selective with what she chooses to share on social media. "I try to post things that take time," Holmes stated, "I am careful with what I share; I think about it. To me, it's like a magazine." Although Suri Cruise has grown into her own, it seems that her mother's influence made her stray from social media altogether.
We all know that the internet can be a very dark place. As the daughter of two megastars, Suri may be an easy target for those wanting to leave cruel comments. Despite what some fan accounts may tell you, her presence on social media is practically non-existent. Why? Because Holmes prioritizes living life over experiencing it through a phone. While this may seem unappealing to a child, it appears that Suri has grown into a well-rounded adult because of this. According to Marie Claire, she revealed one of the challenges she's faced as Suri's parent was "limiting the amount of time both her and her daughter spend on the internet."
Suri Cruise does 'small acts of kindness' often
Suri Cruise was fortunate enough to be born into wealth. Oftentimes, you'll find that children with her amount of notoriety have everything at their fingertips — making it easier for them not to be a good person. To prevent Cruise from becoming that "spoiled rich girl," Katie Holmes insisted on giving her daughter a normal upbringing. Through that, Holmes understood her role as a parent, stating, "I do a lot to put perspective on life" (via Today). According to Holmes, she and Suri spend a lot of time giving back to those in need. "We help out the homeless. We do small acts of kindness," she told Today. "Again it's a daily thing."
Evidence of this can be found on her Instagram page where she shared pictures of their trip to the Morian Refugee Camp — known for its horrific living conditions, overpopulation, and cases of assault — in 2019. As a member of the nonprofit organization Artolution, Holmes volunteered alongside her daughter and several women to craft public art pieces in hopes of invoking positive change (via Marie Claire). While life at home for Suri may yield privileges many of us wished to have as a child, it seems that Holmes is doing her part in making sure that Suri is aware of those that are less fortunate and doing all that she can to help out. All in the name of being a good human being.
She's encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities
Suri Cruise may have her mother's nurturing personality, but according to Katie Holmes, she definitely has her father's athletic ability (via YouTube). Knowing this may have influenced Holmes into allowing her daughter to fine-tune her gifts through whatever medium she chooses. Trying to understand your child's sporadic endeavors can be a harrowing task as a parent. However, Holmes intended to create a positive environment in which Suri is encouraged to pursue her aspirations freely. "We just focus on what she's passionate about and how you feel when you achieve your goals. Be true to your sense of opinions," Holmes told Today, "I listen to her."
From her earlier years in ballet to her now natural aptitude for singing, Suri's freedom to engage in extracurricular activities shaped her into the multi-talented teenager she is today. While Holmes can pat herself on her back for raising such a capable individual, Suri's "strong personality" also had a heavy hand in how she went about conquering certain goals. According to an interview with InStyle, Holmes revealed just how much of a hard worker her daughter is — stating, " She'll pick an activity and work her butt off until she's really good at it. Then she's like, 'Okay, I'm going to try the next thing.'" Rinse and repeat. To have this kind of mentality at a young age is truly inspiring. At this point, who knows what else the versatile 16-year-old will master in the near future.
She was allowed to wear makeup at a young age
Katie Holmes has expressed her desire to raise Suri Cruise to be individual. Through that, we may see Holmes use unpopular methods of achieving that, like allowing Suri to wear lipstick at such a young age. Although it doesn't directly harm a child's well-being — depending on how you view it — dowsing your 5-year-old daughter's face in makeup is something that most mothers would disapprove of immediately. Luckily for Suri, Holmes is far from a "regular mom." For those still confused about why this was the case, her interview with Elle magazine in 2011 gave us insight into why this was allowed in the Holmes household.
According to Holmes, Suri expressed interest in fashion when she was only four years old — a year before she was spotted wearing makeup (via Hollywood Life). Holmes revealed that Suri doesn't hold back her opinions on the outfits her mom chooses to wear. "Like today I'm wearing brown suede pants, and she said, 'I don't like your pants,'" Holmes told Elle (via Yahoo!), "But then she'll say, 'You've got to wear these shoes.' Or 'That's so pretty, Mom. Wear that.'" Suri's strong opinions and advice on her mother's fashionable ensembles could have potentially led to her allowance to wear makeup. Suri's great eye for fashion caught the attention of the passionate fashionista herself early on. Despite public opinion, Holmes decided to stay faithful to her word and allowed her daughter to express herself through fashion.
Suri Cruise has a strong relationship with her family
A healthy life at home is rooted in the relationship you have with your family. At its core, the support of a loving family can reinforce healthy habits — both physically and mentally — that will stay for years to come. Ever since Holmes' 2012 divorce, she's been firm about raising Suri with the same values she was taught as a child. According to a close relative, Holmes took frequent road trips with Suri to introduce her to her extended family members in Toledo, Ohia (via Radar Online).
"As the youngest of five, Katie loved growing up in a big family," the family insider stated, "So she wants exactly the same experience for Suri." In hopes of granting Suri a normal life, the family member revealed that Holmes wanted to introduce Suri to her cousins because she was worried Suri wasn't meeting enough kids her own age. Due to Tom Cruise's protective nature, Suri's life at that point was filled with nothing but luxury and privilege. The transition for the 6-year-old princess wasn't easy since she wasn't used to the concept of "sharing her toys with her cousins." However, that slowly faded as the family member stated that her lively personality won them all over. "They'd only ever seen Suri in magazines and in family photos," they told Radar Online, "So they felt extra special to meet a celebrity their own age."
She stays away from the limelight
Although attending a $40,000 per year private school while living in a $25,000-a-month penthouse apartment on the upper west side of Manhattan isn't exactly normal, Holmes does her best to give Suri Cruise the chance to have a private life. Despite run-ins with paparazzi, Suri's appearance in public is usually alongside her mother. When Holmes first moved to New York after her divorce in 2012, she stated that she felt overwhelmed by the amount of attention she was getting (via InStyle). "That time was intense. It was a lot of attention, and I had a little child on top of it," Holmes told the publication.
This "intense time" for the mother-and-daughter duo was likely the catalyst for their commitment to privacy. In hopes of straying away from the intrusive nature of the public, Holmes tries to shield her daughter away from the limelight as much as she can. An example of this is their "date" at the American Ballet Theatre Spring Gala in New York. The two were spotted leaving the event — which was held in the Metropolitan Opera House — on May 21, 2018. According to Popsugar, Suri, 12, remained close to her mother the whole night. The only time she wasn't hand-in-hand with her mother was on the red carpet. While many assumptions could be made for why this may have been the case, it's safe to assume that Suri didn't take pictures with her mother because of the potential for unwanted attention.
Suri Cruise isn't spoon-fed
Throughout Suri Cruise's earlier years, we could see that her parents would get carried away and adhere to the wishes made by their princess. During Katie Holmes' appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2014 (via YouTube), the actress revealed just how demanding her daughter could be. With Christmas only being a month away, Holmes stated that this was an anxious time for her because she "can't screw up talking to Santa." Although she revealed that her daughter was somewhat practical, Suri's attention to detail left us hoping that she wouldn't grow into a royal prima donna.
Luckily, Holmes understood how over-gifting can warp a child's perception of life. With the endless amount of privileges Suri has, she made sure not to "inundate her daughter with a lot of things" (via Today). Despite being decked out in designer clothes as a child, Holmes made it clear that although Suri is privileged enough to be wealthy, that doesn't exclude her from working like everyone else. At 12 years old, Suri seemed to pick up on this as she ran her own lemonade stand at New York City's LGBT Pride parade in 2018. According to an eyewitness, Suri and her friends charged $2 per glass and offered rainbow-themed Rice Krispies treats for those in attendance (via Us Weekly). "She was very sweet and kind, telling everyone to enjoy their day and would smile whenever someone walked past," the eyewitness stated, "Very sweet."