Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes win the award for most publicized divorce in Hollywood. When they announced they'd divorce in 2012, everyone was shocked but mostly intrigued by the situation. Holmes pretty much had to flee from Cruise and try to deal with the pressure. Once again, she had to be quiet like she had to be when Suri was born.
Now, eight years after her split from Cruise, Holmes has gotten her life back together and has accomplished a lot in her career, raising Suri and has started dating again. She's even revealed what life's been like outside of Cruise.
But let's rewind to what life was like for Holmes just after they split.
She Refused To Leave Her House
There were many rumors about the couple throughout their marriage and even more so when they broke up. There were rumors that Holmes wanted to escape Scientology because they were controlling her and Suri and rumors saying that Holmes thought Cruise would kidnap their daughter.
Whatever you believe, the fact is Holmes had enough and had to escape. Mostly it was the press who wouldn't leave her alone. So New York seemed like a good place to start over in peace.
Recently, Holmes has opened up about what those few months and years were like following her divorce from Cruise. She was already a high profile figure being married to the A-List actor, but the paparazzi came for her on a new level when they announced their divorce.
She had a young Suri to think of, as well as starting a new life, and dodging the press became her worst enemy. Most of the time she couldn't leave her house.
"We'd go to the park at 6 a.m. just to get outside," Holmes told InStyle.
"Obviously, as a public person, I've gotten a lot of attention at different periods in my life," she continued. "And when you have a lot of attention, sometimes you don't want to leave the house because it's just too much. You can get consumed by what people think, but suddenly you just decide to do things on your own terms. I feel like I'm finally figuring that out. I'm getting the projects I want made and just relaxing a little. I've been around for a long time, and I'm still here! I can't believe it."
"That time was intense. It was a lot of attention, and I had a little child on top of it. We had some funny moments out and about in public. So many people I didn't know became my friends and helped us out, and that's what I love about the city."
Maybe the reason we haven't heard Holmes talk about the ordeal is because of the 5-year gag order she was allegedly under. Apparently, she wasn't allowed to talk about her relationship with Cruise to the press.
Her Life Now
Holmes has finally gotten her life back together. After her split, she was able to take on any project she desired. She's been dating; having had a relationship with Jamie Foxx and now Emilio Vitolo. She's even begun directing, first with her film All We Had and then Rare Objects.
"I don't have any fear now, I don't have a lot of rules for myself, and I don't take myself that seriously," Holmes told People in 2014. "I feel ready for new challenges."
"I don't want that moment in my life to define me, to be who I am. I don't want that to be what I'm known as. I was an actor before, an actor during and an actor now."
Over the years the press died down and Holmes was able to go out like any other New Yorker and go to Broadway shows and experience the city.
She worked her butt off to make her home as cozy as possible too. Talking Elle UK, she said, "I have a lot of pictures. I like vintage art from flea markets. Because we’re in New York, I want our apartment to be very cozy and soft – the city around us is so intense and hard. So that’s our style. And a lot of colors."
It'll be interesting to see what Holmes gets up to in her career and life. She's proven that she can turn a horrible situation into a better one so we can expect great things from her. Suri is one lucky girl to have a mother like that.