Suri Cruise Changes Her Name & Distances Herself Further From Her Dad After Reportedly Not Seeing Him For 11 Years
He allegedly pays child support but has not been present in his daughter's life since 2012.
Everett Collection / Shutterstock After insider reports suggested that it's been over a decade since they've seen each other, it appears that Tom Cruise’s 18-year-old daughter has cut all remaining ties with her dad — including his last name.
Keen eyes spotted the teenager’s subtle name change in a playbill for a Broadway production.
Suri Cruise has allegedly dropped her last name after not seeing her father for 11 years.
When audiences arrived for the Broadway production of “Head Over Heels,” in which Suri has a role, they could not help but notice that her name appeared different on the playbill.
The actress was reportedly listed as “Suri Noelle” rather than her birth name, “Suri Cruise,” per OK! Magazine.
Inside sources have linked the change with a tribute to her mom, 44-year-old actress Katie Holmes, whose middle name happens to be Noelle.
Whether an actual slight to her dad or just a way to retain a modicum of anonymity, rumor mills are churning with speculation on Suri and her dad's relationship. "Suri does not know her father anymore, and she has not spent time with him in a decade," an anonymous source disclosed to OK! Although their father-daughter relationship, or lack thereof, cannot be confirmed, Cruise has not been seen publicly with her for nearly 12 years.
That same source was quick to point out, however, that Cruise has always honored his financial obligations to his daughter and ex-wife.
The couple divorced in 2012, and Holmes retained full custody of their daughter.
“If he wanted to see her, he could see her,” a source told Page Six. “Even people in prison have a right to see their children.”
Many people assume that the estrangement is due to Cruise’s ties with Scientology, a religion characterized by its unique beliefs about the nature of the soul and existence.
Cruise converted to Scientology in 1986 and became an outspoken advocate for the religion in the 2000s. Still, Holmes has never given any indication that his religious beliefs had anything to do with their divorce or subsequent co-parenting relationship.
In addition to Suri, The “Mission Impossible” star has two other children, Connor and Isabella, whom he shares with ex-wife Nicole Kidman.
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Suri’s alleged name change has sparked an online discussion about parental estrangement and trauma.
While the reality of Suri and Cruise's relationship is unknown, the speculation of their estrangement has resulted in a social media outcry of support for the teen. It's also opened the door for content creators to share their own experiences.
“I can only imagine how hard it is [for Suri]. For people like us, where our dads are in our lives and we just never see them again, or maybe run across them on Facebook or TikTok or Instagram… she has to have it in her face every day,” TikTok user Taylor Nicole pointed out in a video.
“He is rich, he is famous, he is out there, out and about every day, all day, has the means, the time, and the money to be her father, and still chooses to be whatever he’s got going on.”
“I couldn’t imagine her pain. The villain in her life she can’t ever escape, non-stop trauma for her,” another user echoed.
Absent fathers significantly impact their children’s lives, negatively affecting them more than they may ever realize.
According to Psychology Today, some children who do not have actively involved fathers in their lives can struggle with low self-esteem and regulating their emotions.
Having an absentee parent is hard. It is even more difficult knowing that he had the means and access to be present while you were growing up and simply chose not to be around.
Suri's feelings about her father and his impact on her life are unknown. Still, tabloid speculation has certainly opened the door to discussing the importance of familial bonds and the role parents play in their children's lives.
One thing is certain: Katie Holmes kept her daughter out of the spotlight as best she could. Perhaps this name change is just an extension of that — a way for Suri to explore acting without the pressure of her parents' fame and success following her.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.