Cruise Remembers "Unpretentious" Pollack
-----------------------------------------Tom Cruise has paid tribute to The Firm director Sydney Pollack, admitting he will "miss him dearly." Pollack died aged 73 on Monday, after a nine-month battle with cancer at his home in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. And Cruise, who worked with the director/actor on 1993's The Firm and Eyes Wide Shut in 1998, remembers the star as an "unpretentious" man. He says, "Throughout the years, unpretentious and never condescending, he shared with me what he loved about family, storytelling, food, flying and a great bottle of vino."
Cruise also looks back fondly on their first meeting, when Pollack patiently answered an up-and-coming Cruise's eager questions for six-hours, even though he was busy editing his comedy classic Tootsie. He explains, "I first met him while he was in the midst of editing Tootsie. I'd seen every one of his pictures and he generously took the meeting. He was a Renaissance man and a great friend. I will miss him dearly."
Cruise Fights to Silence Baby Boutique Owners
--------------------------------------------------Tom Cruise has slapped the owners of a top Los Angeles baby boutique with a cease and desist letter, accusing them of going public with purchases he and wife Katie Holmes have made without their permission. The movie star's legal team has fired off documents to the bosses of Petit Tresor, warning them to stop talking to the media about private Cruise family matters. According to the documents, obtained by TMZ.com, Cruise was particularly upset when store bosses allegedly leaked false information suggesting the actors have spent more than $350,000 on wardrobe items for their daughter Suri in the two years since her birth. The lawyers insist no one at the store should "say anything (whether true or false) about Mr. Cruise and Ms. Holmes' shopping habits."
Cruise & Holmes Surprise 'Hairspray' Cast
--------------------------------------------------The cast of Broadway musical Hairspray got a big surprise after they finished last Friday's show - walking off stage to find Tom Cruise and his wife Katie Holmes waiting in the wings. The Hollywood couple attended the stage version of the hit show with their two-year-old daughter Suri and were granted a backstage visit afterwards to meet the actors. But the cast had not been informed of the stars' visit and were shocked to be greeted by the family after the performance.
Jenifer Lewis, who plays Motormouth Maybelle in the hit show, was delighted to meet Cruise and Holmes. She tells New York Daily News, "I turned, and there was Tom Cruise saying to me, 'Oh my God, you're wonderful!' Suri was so sweet in her little velvet and taffeta dress." Cruise later sent the whole cast flowers and a large basket of candy in time for their next performance.
Cruise Launches New Website As A "Thank You" To Fans
----------------------------------------------------------Hollywood actor Tom Cruise has launched a new website to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his first starring role in a movie - as a "thank you" to his fans for supporting him throughout his career. Cruise landed his first major part 1983's Risky Business; a role that catapulted him to Hollywood superstardom.
He has gone on to appear in over 30 major motion pictures and has become one of the biggest stars in the world. And the 45-year-old has now launched TomCruise.com, writing a personal message to his supporters on the homepage. The note reads, "In celebration of this occasion, and my 27 years of making movies, I created this site as a thank you, to you, for sharing the journey with me and to invite you to continue to explore what the future will bring...
My hope with this site is to bring you in and share with you the fun I experience every day during the filmmaking process, from working on the script, to the making of the film, through to what we finally see when we settle into our seats and the lights go down."
Cruise: "I Was Wrong About Postpartum Depression"
-------------------------------------------------------Tom Cruise has confessed he was "wrong" for attacking pal Brooke Shields and other depressed new mothers who turn to medication to beat postpartum depression. The movie star hit the headlines when he criticized Shields for publicizing anti-depressants in her book Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression in a 2006 TV interview. He has since personally apologized to the actress for his remarks and now admits he regrets the comments he made, insisting he was wrong to suggest postpartum depression could be controlled by taking nothing stronger than vitamins.
In an exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was taped at his Telluride, Colorado estate for last Friday's Oprah show, the movie star said, "It came out wrong, it's just not true. I was raised by four women who have children and babies. I'm not trying or want to tell anyone how to live their life or what they should believe or shouldn't believe." Cruise went on to say he felt "pressed" by the media during that period of his life - and regrets saying a lot of things on TV. He added, "I felt like I could've handled it better," admitting he regrets discussing Shields at all.
Cruise Has A Double Date With Oprah
---------------------------------------Tom Cruise has got so much to say about life, faith and love his upcoming re-appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show has been split into two segments. The actor will show the talk show queen around his sprawling Telluride, Colorado estate during one segment, which will air in America on Friday. He will return to the Chicago, Illinois TV set, where he made his now-famous couch-jumping proclamation of love to then-fiancee Katie Holmes, for an in-depth interview that will be aired on Monday. The smitten star made a spectacle of himself with his loved-up antics on the talk show in 2005. The two shows have been arranged to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Cruise's breakout movie, Risky Business.
Cruise Spends Big On Daughter Suri's Birthday Party
------------------------------------------------------------Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes filled a rented Hollywood Hills home with $17,000 worth of fresh flowers and spent almost $5,000 on cakes for daughter Suri's second birthday bash on Saturday. The couple ordered personalized cakes from Los Angeles' Sweet Lady Jane bakery for all 24 guests, and a four-tiered treat was served up to the birthday girl. Cruise also ordered $230 worth of cupcakes from LA bakery Sprinkles - wife Holmes' favorite cake shop. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck catered the event, according to In Touch magazine. He also took charge of a later party for the Cruises' famous friends like Victoria Beckham, who also celebrated a birthday last week and Will Smith.