Scientology Lies

by Damian Whitworth

When she was growing up in the American Midwest Katie Holmes indulged in fantasies common to millions of girls. "Every little girl dreams about her wedding," she said. "I used to think I was going to marry Tom Cruise."

Well now she is. And not only that, she is already expecting his baby. It has been quite a few months for the 26-year-old star of Batman Begins, who did not meet the Hollywood superstar until April this year.

In the early days of the whirlwind romance, Cruise's gushing declarations of love for Holmes were just too over the top to avoid suspicion. The actor, 43, was previously married to Mimi Rogers and, most famously, for 11 years to Nicole Kidman, with whom he adopted two children. Within weeks of meeting Holmes he went on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where he clambered about furniture like an overexcited gibbon gushing about his new love: "I can't be cool, I can't be laidback. I can't focus. I have never had this kind of feeling before."

He proposed to Holmes in Paris when the two of them had big movies to promote, earning the scepticism of the showbusiness press. Holmes said that speculation that the relationship was a stunt was "a bit annoying" but "I'm not worrying about things like that. I'm enjoying my time with Tom. It would be nice if people were happy for us, but our friends know how happy we are together, so why should I care about what rumours are out there."

The news of her pregnancy suggests that if the relationship is really just about enhancing their careers, then they must have some work ethic. The pregnancy scotches one of the wilder rumours: that they planned to forgo sex until after the wedding.

Holmes found fame in the TV series Dawson's Creek, and went on to star in films such as Wonder Boys, opposite Michael Douglas, Phone Booth with Colin Farrell and The Gift with Cate Blanchett, before her blockbuster breakthrough this year with Batman Begins.

There is speculation about the extent to which Holmes, who was raised a Catholic, has embraced Scientology, for which Cruise is an evangelist. She has reportedly said that Scientology allows her to continue as a practising Catholic but she has been learning about the sect and has allegedly had a "Scientologist chaperone" with her during interviews. Fans who fear that she doesn't know what she's getting into have set up a "free Katie" website.