There are no celebrities more famous and more private than action star Tom Cruise.
At 56, the star is still impressing audiences with his hit blockbusters. For more information, news and Tom Cruise net worth you can visit thesquander.com
But even on his global press tours, Cruise rarely mentions his three children.
After learning more about their emotional family life, it's easy to see why Cruise's kids avoid the spotlight.
Isabella And Connor
NDTV
Cruise was married to actress Mimi Rogers in the '80s, before starting a whirlwind romance with his Days of Thunder co-star Nicole Kidman.
While the pair fell in love and married quickly, they had trouble starting a family.
"From the minute Tom and I were married, I wanted to have babies," Kidman told Marie Claire. "And we lost a baby early on, so that was really very traumatic."
Kidman revealed she suffered an ectopic pregnancy, and the stressful event motivated the stars to adopt their children instead.
Cruise with Connor and Isabella as children.Connor Cruise - Instagram
Soon, Isabella and Connor Cruise were tagging along with their famous parents on their press tours.
But in 2001, Cruise filed for divorce from Kidman, citing irreconcilable differences. The actress, who was unknowingly pregnant at the time, later suffered a miscarriage.
Both Isabella and Connor - who were eight and six years old at the time of the divorce - continued to live with Cruise in L.A after the split, which created some tension in the family.
"I'd love them to live with us, but what can you do?"
Nicole Kidman with a young Connor and Isabella.Reuters
It's not unusual for children to feel closer to one parent after a divorce, but Isabella and Connor definitely seem to bond with Cruise more than Kidman.
The actress told Marie Claire that she could see her kids "sometimes" during their childhood, while they were often photographed in public with Cruise.
One explanation for Connor and Isabella's strong connection to Cruise could be their shared faith in Scientology.
Cruise at a Scientology event.Reuters
While their adopted children were home schooled and raised in Cruise's controversial religion, Kidman never adopted it.
"I've chosen not to speak publicly about Scientology. I have two children who are Scientologists - Connor and Isabella - and I utterly respect their beliefs," Kidman has said about their children.
Even after remarrying to country star Keith Urban, Kidman admitted that her children kept their distance from her.
"They live with Tom, which was their choice," she told Hello! "I'd love them to live with us, but what can you do?"
Reuters
Former Scientologist Leah Remini suggested in her memoir, Troublemaker, that Cruise's children were ordered not to speak with Kidman because she is not a Scientologist.
Kidman has also been accused of publicly ignoring her children with Cruise, after leaving them out of her Emmy acceptance speech.
But there are also signs that Isabella and Connor are warming up to Kidman again - Isabella's new clothing line is named BKC, for Bella Kidman Cruise.
Life Out Of The Spotlight
Isabella and Connor Cruise.Connor Cruise - Instagram
These days, Cruise's adult children are rarely spotted with him, and it seems that they enjoy a quiet life far from Hollywood.
Isabella, now 25, is a former makeup artist and fashion designer who lives in London with her husband, Max Parker.
She recently unveiled a line of graphic t-shirts based on her drawings.
Hello! Magazine
While neither of her parents were at Isabella's 2015 wedding, she criticized news reports that shamed her parents for skipping the event.
Maybe Isabella is just happy to start a new life on her own.
Connor Cruise - Instagram
Connor, now 23, has been charting his own path too.
Once it seemed like he would follow in his father's footsteps. He had small acting roles in films like Seven Pounds and Red Dawn.
But Connor seemed more interesting in music than movies. He worked as a DJ - turning pro before he was even 18 - and once charged $10,000 for a two-hour set.
Connor Cruise - Instagram
But now, Connor is enjoying a quiet life in Clearwater, Florida, near the Scientology headquarters and his father's penthouse apartment.
He works as a deckhand for a chartered boat company, and is nicknamed "Captain Carter" by his coworkers.
While he was often spotted as a teenager at sporting events with Cruise, and visiting his film sets, it's been years since Connor bonded publicly with his dad.
"It certainly does not mean that I've abandoned my daughter."
Flynet
After his split from Kidman, Cruise moved on to a new relationship with Dawson's Creek star Katie Holmes.
Nicknamed "TomKat" by their fans, the celebrity coupled burned fast and bright, welcoming their daughter, Suri, and marrying in 2006, before divorcing in 2012.
Holmes, who sought the divorce, has put her acting career on the back burner to focus on raising Suri.
"My child is the most important person to me," she told Town and Country, "and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now."
Katie Holmes - Instagram
"It's very important that I'm present and she has a stable, innocent childhood."
Meanwhile, Cruise has been routinely criticized for avoiding his youngest daughter since the split.
In a deposition, the movie star admitted to not visiting his daughter for 100 days in a row, but claimed he spoke with her on the phone every day.
Suri and Cruise in 2010.WireImage
The actor blamed his busy schedule for keeping him out of Suris life, saying, "If she had asked me to be there, I would have been there. I would have worked it out in any way I could."
"It's just a different set of circumstances. It certainly does not mean that I've abandoned my daughter."
"There is no need to protect my daughter from my religion"
Suri is now 12 years old.Katie Holmes - Instagram
While there's no doubt that Cruise is a busy man, it's been years since he was photographed visiting Suri, who is now 12.
In Touch even reported that Cruise did not visit his daughter on Father's Day last year, despite being just 30 minutes away.
Like Isabella and Connor's relationship with Kidman, some have accused Cruise of avoiding his daughter because she is not a Scientologist.
Gage Skidmore - Flickr
The actor has confirmed that his youngest daughter does not share his faith, but claims he's not shunning her on orders from his religion.
In the deposition, Cruised called these claims "a distortion and simplification of the matter."
When he was asked if Holmes divorced him to protect Suri from Scientology, Cruise was livid.
"I find that question offensive. There is no need to protect my daughter from my religion."
Can you believe Isabella and Connor are already in their 20s?
Here are more interesting stories about celebrity families:
- Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's daughters make rare public appearance.
- 15 celebrities who had children later in life.
- 10 celebrity kids we rarely see or hear about.
[H/T: Mercury News, Daily Beast, People]