Gossip: Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise believes he is second in command of the Church of Scientology, a new book claims, and hopes to convert everyone on Earth to the religion. Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief reveals that Cruise now considers himself the third most important man in Scientology, after its late founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and its controversial leader, David Miscavige. Author Lawrence Wright also alleges Cruise dumped wife Nicole Kidman because she didn’t fully buy into Scientology, and that the secretive organization staged bogus tryouts for a Mission Impossible sequel in order to audition new girlfriends in 2005. Only after considering Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, and Jennifer Garner,the book says, did Cruise settle on Katie Holmes, who abruptly left and divorced Cruise last year. Scientology has denied the book’s claims, calling them “ludicrous.’’

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up