(9) The Unauthorized Biography of Tom Cruise by Andrew Morton

Tom Cruise.

Love him or hate him the man generates buzz all across the world.

Some will be oooohing & ahhhing over the mega-star. Others will be talking disdainfully about his religion, or the comments he has made because of his beliefs.

Love him or hate him, Tom Cruise is not to be ignored.


Andrew Morton, author of the Princess Diana biography, has risked the wrath of Tom Cruise, and Scientology, by writing this unauthorized, in depth, & often revealing tell all biography. Morton does an excellent job at remaining unbiased.

At least, until Scientology entered into Tom Cruise's life. The biography was a little dry & not that revealing until Tom's marriage to older woman, Mimi Rodgers. It was Rodgers that introduced Cruise to Scientology. And Morton does not hold back at calling a spade a spade. Scientology is a cult. Not only is it a cult, but it is a cult that makes you sign a legally binding contract once you decide to join the "church".

It was fascinating to read about the "church" and how it consumed Tom Cruise from almost the beginning. Enveloping him in the folds of the "church". Eliminating anyone in his life who was not a member, or chose to caution him against the church. Suprressive Personalities, they are called.

There were times when Morton is so in depth on church "doctrine" and the odd rituals & processes that church members go through, that I questioned if he was really writing a "tell all" on Scientology & not Tom Cruise. But the more you read, the more you realize that they are interchangeable. You can not write about Tom Cruise & not cover Scientology so in depth. Because there are many members who claim Cruise is their Messiah. Cruise IS Scientology.

As you read about Cruise & the relationships with the three wives he has had, you no longer question his sexuality. He is a very sexual man & will stop at nothing to woo the women he is interested in. Tom has a history of seeing someone he likes on screen & stopping at nothing to get her in his bed.

Morton tells of an interesting marriage between Tom & Nic. He paints Nic to be aloof after the adoption of the kids. He even questioned her fidelity. But ultimately, after ten years of marriage, Tom's filing for divorce shocked & nearly destroyed her. To this day she doesn't know why he filed for divorce. Her relationship with the children is sustained only through email and webcams.

The book goes on to document his relationship with Penelope Cruz & a brief affair with an actress (I forget her name) before Katie. Both ended over religious differences. In other words, they would not convert & Tom would not tolerate any less.

Then of course, there is Katie. And their whirlwind relationship that led to her pregnancy, her marriage, & of course, her converion to Scientology. Katie was literally swept off of her feet. How could she not be? Their first date was a high speed motorcycle ride along the coast. He courted her as no other man ever had. Or likely ever will. How could she resist the charms of the man she dreamed of as a young child?

Almost from the begining of their relationship you could visibly see the changes in Katie. Morton even quoted a reporter who commented that the sparkle was gone from her eyes. They were now devoid of all emotion. Creating the myth of Katie's brainwashing. It prompted websites like http://www.freekatie.com/.


Much like a trainwreck, The Unauthorized Biography of Tom Cruise is hard to look away from. I suspect that the book would be a rather dull one if it were not for the drama & mystery surrounding Scientology. But it is what it is. You will find yourself devouring the book trying to understand exactly what is behind the mind of Tom Cruise.

While the book has ended, his story is not over. As long as he continues to prostelyze his religion. As long as he continues to make blockbuster movies. As long as he continues to live in the public eye, his story will never be over.

And we will be right there. Watching & reading it all.















For more information on Scientology:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9363363/inside_scientology

http://www.scientology.org/