Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were a prominent Hollywood couple in the mid-2000s. However, their marriage faced a turning point six years in when Katie filed for divorce while Tom was on a film set.

Tom Cruise had a highly public dating history since the early days of his acting career, ranging from a brief relationship with Cher in 1985 to more serious involvements that culminated in multiple marriages. His first marriage was to actress Mimi Rogers in 1987, lasting three years before their divorce.

Following his divorce from Mimi, he entered into an 11-year marriage with Nicole Kidman. After the end of that marriage, Tom started dating actress Penélope Cruz in 2001, though they did not marry and eventually broke up three years later.

Tom and Katie’s relationship had an unusually public start. They met late in 2005, and Tom invited Katie on a date. A few weeks into their relationship, the couple was photographed hand-in-hand in Rome, Italy.

Their romance gained widespread attention when Tom declared his love for Katie on the Oprah Winfrey Show, exclaiming, “I’m in love!” and famously jumping on Oprah’s couch. Affectionately known as “TomKat” by their fans, they became one of the most discussed Hollywood couples in the mid-2000s.

At the time Tom and Katie began dating, Tom was already a well-known Scientologist. He introduced Katie to this secretive religion early in their relationship, and she showed enthusiasm in learning about her new boyfriend’s beliefs.

During the London premiere of “Batman Begins” in June 2005, Katie Holmes revealed to reporters that she intended to take Scientology classes, despite having been raised Catholic. This decision raised eyebrows among her friends in Toledo, Ohio, who were uncertain about the sudden shift in her faith.

Undeterred by the skepticism, Katie fully embraced the Church of Scientology. She even started participating in interviews alongside her 29-year-old Scientology chaperone, Jessica Rodriguez, who accompanied Katie and monitored her responses during the interviews.

The turning point in Tom and Katie’s relationship came when Tom Cruise proposed to Katie at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The couple wasted no time and announced their engagement at a press conference shortly after Katie accepted the proposal. Tom expressed his feelings, stating:

“It’s definitely love and France. I’ve never felt like this before. She’s an extraordinary woman and I love her very much. My family is doing well and I’m just very happy.”

The joyous occasion continued for Tom and Katie as they welcomed their baby girl, Suri Cruise, in April 2006, while still engaged. Suri marked Katie’s first child, while Tom had twins, Conor and Bella Cruise, from his previous marriage to Nicole Kidman.

Despite keeping the details of Suri’s birth under wraps, the announcement of her arrival sparked a frenzy of adoring fans outside the couple’s home.

In the wake of Suri’s birth, Tom and Katie decided to tie the knot in a star-studded wedding in Rome, Italy. This romantic choice of location held sentimental value as it was the same city where they had first been seen hand-in-hand just over a year earlier. For the occasion, Katie donned an off-the-shoulder Georgio Armani wedding gown. The wedding ceremony was a glamorous affair attended by celebrities such as Will and Jada Smith, as well as Jennifer Lopez.

The downward spiral for “Tomkat” began around the six-year mark of their marriage when rumors started circulating that their union wasn’t as genuine as it appeared. Speculations arose that Katie Holmes was making career choices based on the approval of the Church of Scientology.

Reports indicated that Katie was no longer content with the life she had alongside Tom Cruise, stating, “She no longer had the life she wanted, in terms of her career, her way of life, everything.” Additionally, there were murmurs that Katie was becoming increasingly uncomfortable in the world of Scientology.

A source connected to the Church of Scientology revealed, “Katie has not been nearly as involved with Scientology in recent months.” Another source added, “Going forward, Scientology will likely not be playing a major role in her life.”

However, religious differences were not the sole cause of her dissatisfaction. Katie Holmes, who was a flourishing 26-year-old actress when she entered into the relationship with Tom, found her career significantly slowing down by the time she filed for divorce.

The turning point for the couple occurred in June 2011. Tom Cruise was in Iceland filming the sci-fi thriller “Oblivion” when he received the shocking news of Katie Holmes filing for divorce. Just 11 days after this revelation, Tom and Katie announced that they had reached a settlement.

Before filing for divorce in New York City, Katie Holmes took precautions, obtaining a disposable phone to contact her attorney. This clandestine move allowed her to prepare for the divorce without Tom or any of his staff discovering her plans.

In the divorce settlement, Katie was granted primary custody of their daughter, Suri, while Tom received visitation rights. This arrangement permitted Katie to establish residence in New York City with Suri, requiring Tom to travel to visit their daughter. Through her attorney, Katie released a statement requesting privacy.

Following the divorce, reports of an impending custody battle emerged. A close friend of Katie reported her fears that Tom might gain access to their daughter, Suri, and potentially influence her involvement with Scientology.

Tom Cruise denied the allegations surrounding his influence on Suri’s involvement with Scientology, asserting that there was no need to protect her from the religion. Despite not being seen with Suri for an extended period, Tom maintained that he regularly spoke with her over the phone. He remarked, “You have to work at it. I’ve gotten very good at it. I tell wonderful stories.”

Despite the ongoing custody battle, Katie Holmes retained primary custody of Suri. Katie continued to raise her in New York City and made the decision to keep her away from the Church of Scientology. As a result, Tom Cruise has not been seen with Suri for many years.