Reports are floating that scientology has played a large role in the custody issue of the six-year-old daughter of former Dawson's Creek actor Katie Holmes and superstar Tom Cruise's divorce. The glamorous couple announced its split earlier this week after five years of marriage.
Holmes, 33, filed for divorce in a New York court and is seeking full custody of their daughter, Suri. She is also looking to procure "primary residency custody as well as a suitable amount of child support," as reported by TMZ.
NBC's Access Hollywood reported that Cruise's affiliation with scientology religion was a motivating factor in Holmes decision to file for sole custody, which if granted will give her complete authority of making decisions for Suri.
The fact that Holmes filed for divorce in New York is no accident either. It is a strategic decision, since she is likely to win the custody suit in NY rather than California, which by default assumes joint-custody in a divorce.
In a statement released by Holmes' lawyer Jonathan Wolfe on behalf of the 33-year-old actress, he says "This is a personal and private matter for Katie and her family... Katie's primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter's best interest," as reported by People Magazine.
Cruise, 50, released a statement through his press-person stating "Kate has filed for divorce and Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children," as reported on Yahoo News.
The couple, who is reported to have a pre-nuptial agreement, is said to be worth $275 million, most of which is earned by Cruise. According to Good Morning America, last year Cruise made around $75 million, while Holmes only $25 million in comparison.
Holmes' quiet absence from the premier of Cruise's highly anticipated film "Rock of Ages," didn't really stir strong suspicions of the couple's ongoing problems. However, now that the split has been announced Hollywood media is putting two and two together and evaluating couple's behavior in recent past to pick on possible details and hints to this split.
After proclaiming his love for Holmes on that epic coach moment on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2005, the couple announced in April 2006 that Holmes was pregnant, which was followed by a grand wedding in Italy in November of the same year.
Aside from Suri, 6, Cruise has two adopted children with ex-wife Nicole Kidman.
