Tom Cruise has long been the most famous celebrity member of Scientology.
But now, a new generation of Cruises are getting attention for their Scientology beliefs. According to a lengthy new report from Page Six headlined "How Tom Cruise's kids are rock stars in the Scientology world," Connor Cruise, 24, and Bella Cruise, 26 — Tom's oldest children, whom he adopted with ex-wife Nicole Kidman — are really starting to raise their profile within the controversial religion.
"Going public in this manner adds up to the Cruise family showing support for [Scientology leader] David Miscavige," Scientology expert and critic Tony Ortega, who runs a blog called The Underground Bunker, told Page Six. "Miscavige needs to shore up support for Scientology. The Cruises set an example, which is huge in terms of his holding onto wealthy donors."
In March, London-based Bella — who's worked as a hairdresser and has a fashion line dubbed BKC (which stands for Bella Kidman Cruise) — wrote a piece for a Scientology newsletter in which she revealed she'd undergone training to become an auditor in the religion. An auditor, as Page Six explains, "interviews other members and gets them to talk through their shortcomings and their deepest secrets."
Bella praised her training and encouraged other Scientologists to follow suit. This "sent a message to the rank and file that the celebrities are doing their part," explained Tony — who's also a Scientology book author and a former editor for the Village Voice.
Bella has been married to IT consultant Max Parker — who, according to reports, is not a Scientologist — since 2015.
Connor is dating a high-profile Scientologist who's originally from Italy, 26-year-old Silvia Zanchi, Page Six reports, adding that Silvia, like Connor, comes from a Scientology family and is a "prolific recruiter" for the religion. She works at the faith's Belleair mission near Scientology headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, where Connor lives.
"Silvia is pretty, vivacious, very nice and gung ho about Scientology," Mary Kahn — a former church member once affiliated with the same mission as Silvia — told Page Six.
A recent report claimed that Connor — who works as a DJ and fishing guide and has a reputation as "a heartbreaker on the Scientology scene," claims Page Six — was getting married. Connor took to Twitter to deny it in late March, writing, "Not getting married people! Not even engaged. Thanks to the fake news media for reporting otherwise. Gonna go back to fishing now, have a great day :)."
But if Connor was ready to settle down, Silvia — whom Page Six reports was spotted with Connor and his movie star father at Walt Disney World in December — "is exactly who Tom would want Connor to marry," Mary said.
Connor continues to be a well-known star among Scientologists in Florida, claims former church member Aaron Smith-Levin. "The local Scientology community [there] is like a big high school, and Connor is the star jock," Aaron told Page Six. "Everybody knows him and wants to go out on his big-a– fishing boat."
Another former Scientologist, who did not share her name with Page Six, told the New York Post's gossip column that Connor has always had a rep as a popular guy within the faith and was well-liked when he spent time with other young Scientologists in Los Angeles, where he grew up living with Tom. "He was a cool dude. We weren't allowed to discuss [Connor's parents] and he never brought it up," the anonymous former member said. "Connor always had money and we were all poor because we worked for Scientology. We were happy when he went out with us because he was generous enough to pay."
Tom's youngest child, Suri Cruise — who turns 13 on April 18 — is not a Scientologist. She and mom Katie Holmes reportedly left the faith when Katie left Tom in 2012. Tom has not been publicly photographed with Suri since September 2013.
According to an October 2018 report from Us Weekly, Tom and Katie's custody agreement allows for the "Top Gun" star — whom Page Six recently reported is considered a "deity" within his religion — to see his youngest child up to 10 days a month, but "he chooses not to because she is not a Scientologist," a source told the magazine.