Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise and actress Katie Holmes’ daughter Suri Cruise turned 17 last month and is applying to universities across the US, possibly to study fashionThe world’s ‘most famous baby’ is estranged from her father but she and mum still receive child support from him; the mother-daughter duo even worked together in 2022 film Alone Together
Suri Cruise is 17!
It seems like just yesterday that she was the apple of her parents’ eye, held close in Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ loving arms as the world’s most famous baby.
Actors Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise and their daughter Suri on their way to dinner in New York City, US, in 2008. Photo: Getty Images
However, as we all know, Suri’s childhood was marked by a constant roller coaster of media attention, with the tabloids and the public obsessively tracking her famous parents’ every move and making her the object of fascination too as a little toddler. Things took a dramatic turn when Tom’s whirlwind romance with Holmes ultimately led to their high-profile divorce in 2012.
After their separation, Suri and mum Holmes took a step back from the spotlight, prioritising their privacy and focusing on their personal lives. Over the years, Suri has become somewhat of a mystery, with her mother fiercely guarding her so she can have a normal upbringing and childhood.
But despite Holmes’ best efforts, paparazzi still caught some glimpses of Suri as she roams the streets of New York City. And as she enters a new chapter of her life, she appears to be charting her own course and exploring the world on her own terms.
Here’s what Suri Cruise has been up to in 2023.
Suri Cruise turned 17 this year
Suri turned 17 on April 18. She remains in New York City with her mum and the two are more often spotted out and about together. Whether they are grabbing tacos, catching a Broadway play, or boarding a flight at the airport, the mother-daughter duo always turns heads with their effortless style and palpable closeness.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, they reportedly quarantined together at home and binge-watched one of Holmes’ iconic TV shows. In an interview with Variety, Holmes revealed that they watched plenty of shows together, including Dawson’s Creek (2008) – the hit show that launched Holmes’ career.
Despite her success, however, Holmes said that she never pressured her daughter to watch her work. “She has seen Dawson’s Creek, and I think it’s probably weird since she’s a teenager. I’m not like, ‘You need to watch mummy’s work.’ But during the pandemic, we had a good laugh about it. It’s wild to have a daughter who’s almost the same age as I was when I began all this,” she said in the Variety interview.
Her estranged relationship with dad Tom Cruise
Actress Katie Holmes joins her then-husband Tom Cruise as he holds their daughter Suri after Holmes finished the New York City Marathon in New York, US, in 2007. Photo: AP
A few months back, the media widely reported that Suri is not included in her dad’s holiday card any more. The news came about after actress Brooke Shields, who was once a recipient of the card and a gift of Christmas cake, shed more light on the evolution of Tom’s annual tradition in an interview with People magazine.
Shields humorously recounted that the card originally included Tom, his ex-wife Holmes, and their daughter Suri. However, over time, the card went from including just Tom, to being sent sporadically. “It was from them and Suri [at first], so it was the three of them, and then soon it was no Suri and no Katie and just Tom,” Shields explained. “Then it went from just Tom for a while, but not every holiday. And then the cake stopped.”
Suri Cruise and her dad Tom Cruise are reportedly no longer close. Photo: Getty Images
Despite reports suggesting that Tom is not very involved in his daughter’s life, divorce documents reveal that he agreed to pay his ex-wife Holmes US$400,000 annually in child support until their daughter Suri turns 18, per Hello! magazine. But the two have not been seen together in public for the last decade.
She can also sing!
Suri is following her mum’s footsteps in the entertainment industry and has wowed audiences with her impressive singing voice. Just last year, she was heard in Holmes’ film Alone Together, singing “Blue Moon” in the opening credits.
Holmes told Yahoo! Entertainment about her daughter’s role in the film, saying, “She’s very, very talented. She said she would do it and she recorded it and I let her do her thing. That’s the way I direct in general. It’s like, ‘This is what I think we all want so go do your thing.’”
When asked about why she chose her daughter for the job, Holmes replied, “I always want the highest level of talent, so I asked her.” High praise from mum indeed!
Will she study fashion at university?
Suri Cruise and mother Katie Holmes share an enviable mother-daughter connection. Photo: Getty Images
According to Hola magazine, Suri has been applying to several universities across NYC and many believed she would study fashion – her knack derived from mummy dearest, clearly.
A source close to the family revealed to British media that Suri is applying to schools across the country, but her mother hopes she will stay in New York so they can be close to each other.
Holmes recently spoke to Glamour magazine about the importance of protecting her daughter from the public eye, commenting, “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. I’m very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She’s an incredible person.”
Her savvy fashion sense
Suri Cruise looks chic everywhere she goes. Photo: @suricruise.sc/Instagram
Suri has been a true fashionista since she was a baby. For those who don’t remember, she made headlines as a toddler for her impeccable fashion, often seen sporting designer outfits and accessories, including controversial baby heels and handbags. In 2020, her wardrobe’s value amounted to a total of US$3 million, as previously reported.
Following on from her early foray into the fashion world, Suri has continued to develop a refined and sensible sense of style as she has grown older. Whether it’s pairing neutral dresses with trainers or donning a casual tee and baggy jeans, Suri has slowly but firmly moulded her own unique fashion style.
Suri Cruise is following her mum Katie Holmes’ footsteps in the entertainment industry, singing in the song Blue Moon during the opening credits of the latter’s film Alone Together. Photo: Getty Images
Standing as tall as her mum now at 175cm, Suri looks effortlessly good in every outfit she wears. Watch out for her next move – this young starlet is sure to keep surprising us with her talent and impeccable sense of style!
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