Suri Cruise Used Her High School Graduation To Throw Biggest Shade At Dad Tom Yet
More signs keep piling up to indicate that Suri Cruise's relationship with her dad, Tom Cruise, is irreparable. Tom was not present when Suri turned 18-years-old in April 2024, as he was off shooting another installment in the "Mission Impossible" franchise overseas. A couple months later, the actor missed another momentous event in his daughter's life. On June 21, Suri attended her high school graduation as her doting mom, Katie Holmes, was present. Photos obtained by Page Six showed the mother-daughter duo flashing giant smiles during the event held at United Palace Theater in Manhattan. Not only was Tom absent for the event, but so was his last name, as his daughter chose to go by "Suri Noelle" for the ceremony.
Instead of being in New York for his estranged daughter's graduation, the "Oblivion" star was at the London leg of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour on June 22. A fan posted a snap of Tom attending the concert to Instagram. "Ah look at Tom having a father daughter night out! Oh no wait," one Instagram user chided.
The truth about Tom Cruise and Suri's fractured relationship made headlines after she turned 18-years-old. Even though she became a legal adult, Suri was in no hurry to reconnect with her father. "He does not exist to Katie or Suri, and his daughter does not want to rely on him for anything," a source told the Daily Mail in April. It had been years since Tom saw his daughter, but he was still providing for her financially.
How Katie Holmes has protected Suri Cruise
Reportedly, Suri Cruise has not seen Tom Cruise in person since Katie Holmes blindsided him with divorce papers in 2012. The "Dawson's Creek" alum had worked on keeping her daughter out of the spotlight. "Katie has safeguarded Suri and she's a devoted mom," a source told Page Six in April. "This is a girl who is a private citizen. She hasn't lived her life in public," the insider said about Suri.
Despite the estrangement, Tom was paying his ex-wife $400,000 a year in child support until their daughter turned 18-years-old, per a Daily Mail article published in March 2023. Afterwards, the "Top Gun" actor was still on the hook to pay for Suri's college, and other incidentals. At the time of the Mail's article, a source said that Holmes wanted her daughter to choose a school in New York. In April, Suri revealed her college choice and it seemed to be a sign she wanted to further distance herself from Tom. As revealed in a TikTok where a number of her classmates announced which college they would be attending, Suri chose to attend Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh.
Holmes may have preferred that her daughter stayed close by in New York, but she was likely happy to see Suri avoid the spotlight and head to Pittsburgh. "What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her," Holmes told Glamour in April 2023.