Isabella Jane Cruise: What We Know About Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman's Daughter

Coming off of the success of their earlier roles in film, Hollywood's heartthrob Tom Cruise and Australia's bombshell Nicole Kidman met on the set of "Days of Thunder" in 1990. The pair displayed a great sense of romantic chemistry on camera but their chemistry carried off camera, resulting in an 11-year-long romance. After getting married the same year they met, the two eventually sought out a life with children. In 1992, Tom and Kidman adopted their first child, Isabella Jane Cruise, and in 1995, they adopted their second child, Connor Antony Cruise.

As any father would, Tom suggested that he made a promise to be the best father figure for his little girl the same day she was born (via Esquire). Although many onlookers question his involvement in his children's lives, Tom — along with Kidman — strived to keep their firstborn away from the public, which is a life she seems to prefer. Though Isabella strays away from the limelight, we've gotten to see her grow into quite the spectacle. From relocating to London to owning a clothing line, Isabella Cruise seemingly cultivated a life she could be proud of.

Born on December 22, 1992, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman adopted Isabella Cruise shortly after her biological mother gave birth to her. According to the "Moulin Rouge!" actor, she knew she wanted to have babies shortly after tying the knot in 1990 (via People). Unfortunately, her complications with pregnancy made this a difficult task. In an interview with Marie Claire in 2007, Kidman revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy — a pregnancy that occurs outside of the uterus — at the beginning of her marriage to Tom. "It was incredibly traumatic," she told the publication. "What will be will be. It's in God's hands."

Kidman's sorrow quickly turned to optimism as she began to consider adoption. For her, there was no issue in doing so since she felt like there were no differences between raising a biological child versus an adopted one (via YouTube). Luckily for Kidman and Tom, this worked out and they were able to hold Isabella the same day she was born. To Kidman, this proved to be a momentous occasion as she felt an instant connection with the newborn. "I look into those eyes and that crazy love happens — it's crazy love because you'll do anything when you have a child. It opens up a part of your heart you didn't even know was there," Kidman said (via the Independent).

In 2001, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's decade-long relationship ended. From marrying the same year they met, Kidman revealed that since they were madly in love, their divorce was a "shock to the system" (via E! News). While it was a hard time for Kidman, the two had to cooperate as co-parents. Following their divorce, Tom and Kidman shared custody of their kids, Isabella and Connor Cruise. Still, Tom ultimately became a full-time parent as the pair decided to live with him in Los Angeles, California instead.

Though she made an effort to see them regularly, she has since suggested that she wouldn't mind them living with her. "They live with Tom, which was their choice. I'd love them to live with us [her and Keith Urban], but what can you do?" Kidman said in 2010 (via the Daily Mail). Kidman seemingly didn't want to force the issue as she knew that Isabella and Connor were old enough to decide what was best for them. Kidman revealed that she accepted their living arrangements since she felt like it was her responsibility to let them lead the life they wanted. "My daughter and son, their life is molded by the way I live," she shared (via HuffPost). "If I wasn't willing to take on that responsibility, I shouldn't have adopted them."

Life under megastars like Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman can sometimes result in unnecessary attention from the general public. With her father oftentimes on the receiving end of harsh criticism, it can be tiresome reading crude remarks about him and watching it affect his livelihood as a human being. From prying interview questions to misleading rumors, Tom, on many occasions, has also found himself dealing with unnecessary public attention in a poor manner. While he usually tries to make smart decisions regarding his family's image, he suggested that Isabella Cruise is very good at keeping her composure in the face of false rumors.

During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2008, Tom revealed that if something were to come out that caused Isabella and Connor Cruise to react negatively, he'd reiterate that everything is okay and not to get caught up by what the media says. "They've grown up with that ... I'm sure there's stuff that they don't like ... and you go, 'Okay, that happened, things go wrong, but don't live in it. Don't live in that because today is a new day and there's plenty of tomorrows,'" he said  (via YouTube). "They're good people, my children. I'm proud of them. ... I don't want them to worry about anything."

As the daughter of acting megastars, many assumed that Isabella Cruise would follow in her parent's footsteps. Though it would've been fulfilling to carry on their legacy — which Connor Cruise did briefly — Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman encouraged their daughter to follow her own path. As an imaginative child, Tom jokingly stated in an interview that Isabella doesn't seem to have an interest in acting. "I don't know if Bella will be an actress," he said (via the Daily Mail). "Right now, she says she wants to be a bear when she grows up."

Instead, she decided to venture off into the world of fashion, a passion her ex-stepmom, Katie Holmes, entertained. After briefly working for Holmes' clothing line, Holmes & Yang, Isabella enrolled in Sassoon Academy in London to pursue a career in cosmetology. There, Isabella completed a 12-month diploma course which resulted in her getting a job as a hairdresser. Isabella then attended the prestigious institute, Delamar Academy of Make-Up and Hair — a university that is responsible for several of its graduates becoming hair and make-up artists in the TV and film industry. While she still doesn't show interest in working in front of the camera like her parents, the 30-year-old appeared to have an interest in doing hair and make-up for film.

Following Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise's divorce, rumors began to circulate surrounding Kidman's relationship with Isabella and Connor Cruise. The sporadic nature of their split coincided with Kidman seemingly leaving Scientology — a celebrity-centric religion that garnered a bad reputation for its cult-like practices. From homeschooling to being under heavy supervision, many believe that the cause for Kidman's absence from the Cruise household is rooted in their opposing religious beliefs. 

In an interview with Who Magazine, Kidman stated that while she doesn't share the same beliefs as her children, she still loves them dearly. "They are able to make their own decisions," she told the publication. "They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it's my job to love them."

An excerpt from Leah Remini's memoir "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" suggested that Isabella was not on good terms with her mother. In the book, the ex-Scientologist stated that she started to get close to the two kids when she was heavily involved with the Church of Scientology. Remini questioned the nature of Isabella and Connor's relationship with their mother. One day, the "King of Queens" star asked them if they visit their mother frequently. According to Remini, Isabella replied: "Not if I have a choice. Our mom is a f***ing SP [Suppressed Person]" (via Us Weekly). Within the church, a "suppressed person" is a label used to describe anyone who opposes Scientology.

Alongside her professional pursuits, Isabella Cruise seemingly built a life in London worth staying for. Although her family resides in the United States, Isabella prefers a secluded life away from intrusive photographers capturing every second of her life. In 2015, Isabella quietly got married to British I.T. consultant, Max Parker. With publications confirming the news one month after it occurred, Isabella opted for a small ceremony with only a few in attendance. Surprisingly enough, not even her parents got an invite for this momentous occasion.

The small ceremony was held at the Dorchester Hotel in London, with her parents nowhere to be found. While this stirred up questions regarding her relationship with her parents, reports state that Tom Cruise paid for the event — suggesting that he approved of the marriage. As for Nicole Kidman, she reportedly didn't know about the wedding, to begin with. Sources claim that the wedding was "Scientology-themed," which could explain the reason for her absence. 

Though we're sure Tom and Kidman are happy for Isabella, it raised further questions that the public wanted answers to. In one interview, Isabella attempted to put those rumors to rest saying that she's still in touch with her parents, despite their absence from her wedding. "Of course we talk," she stated (via Hello!). "They're my parents!"

According to Leah Remini, Isabella Cruise's childhood heavily revolved around Scientology thanks to her father. Through this, she, Connor Cruise, and even Suri Cruise experienced years of homeschooling, Scientology-based camps, and heavy surveillance under the Church of Scientology. Despite Nicole Kidman's opposing views on the celebrity-centric religion, Isabella held on to her beliefs as she grew up. So much so, that she eventually became a certified auditor within the Church of Scientology (via People). In Scientology, auditors are higher-ups who help others through their self-examination process — ultimately guiding them as they convert to their religious lifestyle. Given the list of responsibilities bestowed on auditors, there need to be preparations in place for those seeking the position. 

According to Isabella's testimonial, she revealed that after a string of tests, she finally became an auditor. In her testimonial, she expressed her gratitude toward her father, her aunt (Catherine Cass Mapother), and the church for encouraging her to finish the training. "It turned out it was exactly what I needed," she stated (via Tony Ortega). "I dragged out the testing and correction, just made it through the drilling and then finally began my auditing adventure, and wow, I wasn't prepared. This is what I had been searching for. The missing piece."

While Connor Cruise has multiple passions ranging from music to competitive fishing, a quick peek at Isabella Cruise's Instagram will show you that she's a person of many interests as well. Though her venture as a hairdresser seemed to be her calling, Isabella is not afraid to flex her artistic skills to her string of followers online. Aside from the occasional selfie, Isabella's feed is flooded with several dark conceptual pieces mixed with portraits of public figures, like Guy Fieri. Isabella, however, used her background in fashion to capitalize on her artistic vision. 

In 2018, Isabella flexed her creative muscles when she launched a clothing line named, Bella Kidman Cruise. From T-shirts to tote bags, her online store has a wide range of self-made designs available for purchase. Aside from the incredible business venture, fans have grown aware of the fact that Isabella named the company after her mother, Nicole Kidman. Not only did Isabella pay homage to her mom with one of her designs that read "Protect your mother and she'll protect you," but she also posted a portrait of the "Big Little Lies" actor in 2020 (via Instagram). In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Kidman expressed her love for this creative project, stating: "I think it's such a great way to express [yourself] and Bella is a beautiful drawer as well. She's always been able to draw."

September 17th, 2021, marked the 30th anniversary of Hole's debut album, "Pretty on the Inside." Coming from a punk influence, the band sought to tackle a range of topics regarding self-confidence, religion, parental neglect, and most importantly, women's rights. Paired with intentional anarchic-like instrumentation, this was the band's first major success — selling over 200,000 copies in the United States. To celebrate the monumental milestone, lead singer, Courtney Love, arranged a philanthropic event at Parliament Tattoo in London in October in hopes to support Treasure Foundation and Clean Break Women's Charities — both of which are organizations that represent similar values to their album was built around.

Through this, Courtney Love invited several artists to donate their work. As an artist who resides in London, Isabella Cruise participated in the event. In light of the news, Isabella announced her involvement in the art exhibition and expressed her gratitude on Instagram. "Is this real life?" she wrote. "I am beyond excited to be taking part in this exhibition with the incredible Courtney Love and Parliament Tattoo, to celebrate 30 years of Hole's Pretty on the Inside. All for charity. What a dream."

Tom Cruise started dating Katie Holmes in 2005. With Isabella Cruise living with him at the time, Tom had to be cautious of how she and her brother, Connor Cruise, perceived his potential love interest. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Tom revealed how they quickly embraced Holmes because of her love for sweets. From there, the two were more than happy to make her a part of their household — which made breaking the news about their baby sister a lot easier. On April 18, 2006, Suri Cruise was born, and according to the "Mission: Impossible" actor, they were extremely welcoming to their half-sister. "They were really excited about it," he told Winfrey (via YouTube). "It was that whole thing of having a little sister. "

While Isabella had a close relationship with Suri following her birth, another nasty divorce reared its ugly head. According to Connor's Instagram page, Isabella apparently maintained a strong connection with her brother since the divorce but left Suri out of their appreciation posts for each other. Considering that 2010 was the last time Isabella made a public outing with Suri, Holmes' sudden departure from the Cruise household potentially strained Isabella's relationship with her half-sister. Since the kids lead private lives, it's difficult to determine the status of their relationship. It's safe to assume, however, that Isabella and Suri aren't as close as they were when they were children.

Following her parents' divorce, it seemed as though Isabella Cruise's relationship with Nicole Kidman was nonexistent. While divorce is hard for all parties involved, a string of events that occurred after their split made us believe that the Cruise kids were not on good terms with their mother. In 2012, Isabella revealed that they were still in touch, stating: "I love mom. She's my mom. She's great. I see her sometimes and I speak to her" (via the Daily Mail). However, in 2018, fans speculated that Kidman's relationship with Isabella and her brother grew sour since she left them out of her speech after winning an Emmy — even though she mentioned her other kids, Sunday and Faith Urban.

In addition to naming her clothing business after her, it seems that Isabella is taking the necessary steps to rebuild her relationship with her mother. According to RadarOnline, an insider told the publication that despite their prior differences, Isabella and Kidman are making an effort in improving their mother-and-daughter connection. "Bella and Nicole have really grown closer over the past few months," the insider stated. "They're both focusing on moving forward with their relationship." Although we're sure they never stopped loving one another, it is heartwarming to see the two mend their broken bond.