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New Cruise bio is 'sick stuff'
08/01/2008 11:33 - (SA)
New York - A lawyer for Tom Cruise
on Monday attacked an unauthorised biography of the star,
calling it "outrageous, sick stuff," even as US publisher St
Martin's Press defended the book.
Tom Cruise, An Unauthorised Biography, by British author
Andrew Morton, best known for his top-selling 1992 book on
Princess Diana, is due on US bookshelves this month.
"His book is a rehash of tired old lies about Tom and his
religion, some new grotesque lies, like the sick comparison of
his child to Rosemary's Baby and the nutty assertion that
he's the No 2 head of the Church of Scientology," Cruise's
long-time lawyer, Bert Fields, told Reuters.
"He (Morton) has made a number of claims that are false and
demonstrably so," said Fields, who added that he had read
Morton's book, "Clearly the book is actionable, but I'm not
commenting on anything to do with legal issues."
'Second in command of Church of Scientology'
According to the Bang Showbiz celebrity website, the new book sensationally claims that Tom Cruise is second in command of the Church of Scientology.
The Hollywood actor, who is a devout follower of the controversial sci-fi cult, is allegedly consulted by the religion's leader David Miscavige on "every aspect of policy".
Morton claims: "Cruise is second in command. Across 90 nations, 5 000 people hear his words of Scientology."
Cruise and Miscavige are allegedly so close, Miscavige even joined Cruise on his 2006 honeymoon with third wife Katie Holmes.
Morton also alleges Cruise's split from second wife Nicole Kidman was caused by Scientology.
Fearing Catholic Kidman's influence on Cruise's life, leaders of the religion asked the Top Gun star to take a course in 1999 pinpointing "those in his life who create difficulties".
'Frozen sperm'
In 2001, Cruise filed for divorce after almost 10 years of marriage.
In another outrageous claim, Morton speculates Cruise's 20-month-old daughter Suri with Holmes may have been fathered using frozen sperm from the religion's founder L Ron Hubbard.
He alleges: "Some sect fanatics wondered if the actress had been impregnated with Hubbard's frozen sperm.
"Katie might have felt as if she were in a real-life version of horror movie Rosemary's Baby, in which a young woman is impregnated with the Devil's child," Morton wrote, according to Bang Showbiz.
The Church of Scientology in London did not reply to a Reuters e-mail asking for comment on the allegations.
'We stand by our book and our author'
In a brief statement on Monday, St Martin's Press spokesperson
Steve Troha said: "We stand by our book and our author."
Fields said Cruise has no plans to read the book, and the
lawyer also slammed Morton's claims that Cruise's former wife,
Australian actress Nicole Kidman, was worried she would be
blackmailed or not see the couple's two adopted children if she
spoke out against the Church of Scientology after their
divorce, Reuters reports.
Kidman's spokesperson was not immediately available for
comment, but Fields said Morton's claims were "absolute hogwash
... what they say about her is absolutely false."
"The man should be ashamed of himself and so should his
publisher," said Fields.
"He pretends to be writing a biography
without ever talking to anybody who has really known Tom for
the past 30 years." (Reuters and Bang Showbiz.com)
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