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Marriage, Children and the Church of Scientology
From the very beginning of their relationship, Cruise and Kidman faced some hurdles. Early in 1990, the Top Gun star started attending the Church of Scientology, with his first wife Mimi Rogers. The actor became a devout member, and as such, it was expected of his partners to be members as well. After she began dating Cruise, Kidman started attending the church regularly and began training to become a full-time Scientologist.
According to some insider sources, Kidman rose high in the organization, higher than most members ever go. The church’s head David Miscavige was reportedly very impressed with Kidman and encouraged her relationship with the then 28-year-old actor. He even served as the best man at their 1990 wedding.
But Miscavige lost his enthusiasm for Kidman as soon as the couple married. Cruise was head-over-heels for Kidman, so much so that he began neglecting his duties at the church. On top of that, Kidman herself began having doubts about her involvement with the organization. Since her father was a trained psychologist, she took issue with the church teaching that psychologists were ‘oppressive people’ who could harm the organization.
Miscavige was not happy about her doubts, and allegedly began a campaign of breaking up the couple. He reportedly stoked Cruise’s paranoia about Nicole revealing their marital problems to non-church members. He also attempted to turn Kidman’s two children against their mother, so Cruise could get full custody.
His efforts bore fruit, and after Kidman and Cruise divorced, her children distanced themselves from their mother. Former church member and anti-Scientologist advocate Leah Remini reported that when she asked Kidman’s daughter Isabella if she saw her mother recently, the girl told her: “Not if I have a choice. Our mom is a [expletive] SP [Suppressive Person].”
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