Update: Tom Cruise Press Releases

Cruise files second gay rumors suit
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tom Cruise has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against a man who allegedly offered to sell videotapes of himself having sex with the actor. It's the second lawsuit Cruise has filed in the past month, challenging rumors that he is gay. The Superior Court lawsuit filed Monday accuses Michael Davis of spreading a rumor by e-mail to the media, claiming he had an affair with Cruise and had a videotape to prove it. The lawsuit accuses Davis of making the statements "in order to hurt the plaintiff and to gain widespread publicity for himself." On May 29, the lawsuit says, Davis allegedly disseminated to at least a dozen media outlets in the United States "false and defamatory written statements about the plaintiff." Fields said no such videotape existed and that none of the media outlets reported the alleged rumor "because they all know it is false."

Kidman gets break from alleged stalker
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - A man accused of stalking Nicole Kidman was ordered Wednesday to stay away from the actress for at least three years. Matthew Hooker, who has denied stalking Kidman, told reporters outside court later that he has lost jobs because of the case and plans to appeal the ruling. He said Kidman has ruined his life and his chances of seeking the presidency someday. Superior Court Judge John Reid issued the restraining order, good for at least three years, requiring Hooker to keep at least 250 yards from Kidman, her children and their home, work or schools. Kidman, who has been promoting her latest film "Moulin Rouge," did not have a comment on the order, her publicist Catherine Olim said. She was not in the courtroom Wednesday. In a court petition, Kidman claimed Hooker went to her home and sent her letters stating that he would like to tutor her son and daughter. Kidman and the children's father, Tom Cruise, split up earlier this year after nearly 10 years of marriage.

Hooker is "stalking me and my family and I am fearful for our safety and security," the actress wrote in court documents filed earlier this month. "I was attracted to her," Hooker said. "I wrote her a love poem. I wrote her a letter. I went by her house to ask to take her to the ballet and to take her kids to ice cream. That's it. All I know is, I've never been violent. I've never been angry, I've never harassed anyone," Hooker said. "I tried to meet a woman and date a woman and that's all."

Kidman stalker denies allegations
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - A man accused of stalking actress Nicole Kidman denied the allegation in court. Matthew Hooker said, "I never stalked anyone in my life...I don't know why she has told these lies about me, but they are very unjust and I deny almost everything on the complaint," Hooker said Wednesday outside Santa Monica Superior Court. Kidman is seeking a preliminary injunction against Hooker, 40, of Los Angeles. On Wednesday, Judge John Reid postponed a hearing on the matter until May 30. Kidman's attorney requested the delay, saying he needed time to get a sworn declaration from the actress. Kidman is in her native Australia promoting her latest film, "Moulin Rouge."

A temporary restraining order issued earlier this month requires Hooker to stay at least 250 yards away from Kidman and her family. In a court petition, Kidman claims that Hooker went to her home and sent her letters stating that he would like to tutor her two children. Hooker is "stalking me and my family and I am fearful for our safety and security," the actress wrote in court documents filed earlier this month. "I was attracted to her," Hooker admitted after the hearing. "I wrote her a love poem. I wrote her a letter. I went by her house to ask to take her to the ballet and to take her kids to ice cream. That's it. All I know is, I've never been violent. I've never been angry, I've never harassed anyone," Hooker said. "I tried to meet a woman and date a woman and that's all."

Kidman returns to Australia
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Nicole Kidman flew to Australia Friday for the first time since announcing her split from husband Tom Cruise. The actress arrived in Sydney by private jet from the United States and was driven to her mother's home near the banks of Sydney Harbor, Channel Nine television reported. The 33-year-old Kidman, who grew up in Sydney, smiled and waved from the back seat of a chauffeur-driven car as it arrived at her mother's house. She's in Australia promoting her new movie, "Moulin Rouge," which opened in New York and Los Angeles Friday and premieres in Sydney on Monday night. In an interview with an Australian magazine last week, Kidman said she'd be glad to be back in her hometown. "I'll be relieved just to be able to curl up in my bed and know I'm in Sydney," she told WHO Weekly magazine. "I think it will be very comforting." Cruise, 38, filed for divorce from Kidman in February after nearly 10 years of marriage.

Kidman files restraining order
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - Nicole Kidman has filed a petition seeking a restraining order against a man she alleges has shown up at her home begging to go out with her and her children. The actress claims that Matthew Hooker is "stalking me and my family and I am fearful for our safety and security," according to documents filed Monday in Santa Monica Superior Court. Hooker, 40, said Tuesday night that he never behaved in a threatening manner and merely wanted to date Kidman. "I'll be in court fighting this restraining order and countersuing for damage to my reputation," he said. Kidman claims in her petition that Hooker sent her letters stating he would like to tutor her two children, 8-year-old Isabella and 6-year-old Conor, and that "tutoring them would give us the chance to get to know each other, which is the real goal."

The petition also claims Hooker went to Kidman's house trying to take her and her children out for ice cream and returned another time hoping to take the actress to the ballet. Hooker runs various Internet sites, including one for aspiring artists that includes a poetry section with a love poem title "Nicole." On another of his Web sites, Hooker said he is running for president in 2004 and is destined to become the world's first "trillionaire." Kidman, 33, is in Cannes, France, to promote her latest film, director Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge." She filed court papers last week seeking joint legal custody of her children with Tom Cruise as part of the celebrity couple's divorce proceedings

 

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise may be having their own days of thunder in court 

In what's shaping up to be a nasty split, Kidman filed court papers Thursday detailing her version of the events that led to their marriage's demise.

Responding to Cruise's divorce petition filed February 7 in Los Angeles Superior Court and citing irreconcilable differences, Kidman writes that she was caught completely off guard when the Hollywood star announced he wanted to dissolve their union shortly after she became pregnant with his child.

"This came as a shock to [Kidman]," read court papers. "On December 24, the parties had happily celebrated their 10th anniversary with a group of friends. During the balance of December and thereafter the parties were intimate; in fact, [Kidman] became pregnant by [Cruise] but lost the baby through a miscarriage

The 33-year-old red-haired Aussie actress begged her 38-year-old husband to stay and try to work things out but he allegedly bolted anyway.

"[Kidman] protested [Cruise's] intention to dissolve their marriage and urged him not to leave but to enter marriage counseling with her or take other steps to address whatever problems may have existed in their marriage...[However, Cruise] said his decision was final and he departed the parties' home," the documents read.

In his February petition, Cruise said the couple decided to separate in December, before their 10th anniversary.

But Kidman disputes that, saying it wasn't until February 4 that Cruise told her he wanted a divorce. By claiming that date, Kidman can take advantage of a California law that says that after 10 years of marriage, a spouse must pay alimony until the other partner remarries.

Kidman is seeking joint custody of the couple's two adopted children, Isabella, 8, and Connor, 6, and wants Cruise to pay child support. She also said she'd consider taking up residence with the kids in her native Australia or "elsewhere in the United States," but is remaining in Los Angeles near Cruise for the time being, until the divorce is settled in the best interest of the children.

Her papers note that the custody issue is "contingent on [Cruise's] agreement to communicate, consult and from time to time meet directly with [Kidman] as to all important issues affecting the children's general welfare."

Responding to the filing, Cruise's attorney, Dennis Wasser, says "Tom has been a gentleman throughout these proceedings. Nicole has always known exactly why the parties are divorcing. His children are his life and he will always provide for them and their security. Tom will provide Nicole with half of the community property consisting of tens of millions of dollars. Tom said to me, 'She is the mother of our children. I will always wish her well.' "

Kidman's court filing comes just a day after Cruise launched a $100 million lawsuit against a gay porn star who allegedly told a French magazine that he was Cruise's lover and the reason for the split between Cruise and Kidman. Cruise says he's willing to go to court to prove he's not gay. Meanwhile, the porn star, who goes by the stage name Kyle Bradford, has issued a statement denying he ever gave such an interview. "[I] have never said any of the statements allegedly said by me. The things being reported internationally are totally untrue and very hurtful to all parties," he says.

Once considered Tinseltown's most inseparable glamour couple, Cruise and Kidman met and fell madly in love on the set of the racing flick Days of Thunder.

As they weather the media storm surrounding their separation, the stars have thrown themselves back into their work. Kidman's currently making the publicity rounds for her upcoming musical, Moulin Rouge, while Cruise has wrapped shooting on Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky and is knee-deep in production on Steven Spielberg's long-awaited Minority Report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Cruise files defamation suit
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tom Cruise filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against a pornography actor who allegedly claimed he had a gay affair that broke up Cruise's marriage. Chad Slater told the French magazine Actustar that "he had a continuing homosexual relationship during Cruise's marriage and that the relationship was discovered by Cruise's wife, who ended the relationship," according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. "Cruise is not and never has been a homosexual" and "does not even know" Slater, the lawsuit said. Cruise's attorney, Bert Fields, said Actustar has agreed to publish a retraction. Slater uses the stage name Kyle Bradford. There was no telephone listing for either name in the Hollywood area.

Cruise filed for divorce from Nicole Kidman in February after 10 years of marriage. They have two adopted children. The divorce case is pending, but Cruise's divorce lawyer, Dennis Wasser, issued a statement Wednesday that "the children are his life and he will always provide for them and their security. Tom will provide Nicole with one-half of the community property, consisting of tens of millions of dollars." "Tom said to me 'She's the mother of our children and I will always wish her well,'" Wasser said.

Kidman condemns invasive press
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Nicole Kidman has lashed out at the media for its coverage of her recent miscarriage and breakup with husband Tom Cruise. Kidman told the Sydney Morning Herald for Tuesday's editions that the weeks since her split with Cruise have been the toughest of her life. She said reports that surfaced last week of her miscarriage earlier this year had been "very upsetting and it's very invasive." "I understand that people are interested but it's my life - my personal life," the actress said. "It's very difficult seeing your life being dragged through the newspapers and the tabloids and your children being dragged through it." Cruise and Kidman announced in early February that they would split after 10 years of marriage. The powerful Hollywood couple have two adopted children, 8-year-old Isabella and 6-year-old Conor.

Nicole Kidman miscarriage confirmed
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Nicole Kidman's Australian publicist confirmed that the actress suffered a miscarriage earlier this year, a Sydney newspaper reported Friday. Kidman's publicist, Wendy Day, said, "It is a private matter for Tom and Nicole to work out," the Daily Telegraph reported. "I believe the story is out there and running. We can't deny the story," Day told the Australian Associated Press. She declined further comment. The Daily Telegraph also cited an unidentified Australian friend of Kidman as saying the star had the miscarriage shortly after her split with husband Tom Cruise. Cruise filed for divorce last month in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences after 10 years of marriage. The couple separated in December, the filing said. Kidman, 33, is believed to have miscarried at a Los Angeles clinic earlier this month. Cruise and Kidman have two adopted children, Isabella, 8, and Conor, 6.

Tom Cruise files for divorce
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Tom Cruise filed for divorce Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for splitting with actress Nicole Kidman after 10 years of marriage. The Superior Court petition filed two days after the couple disclosed their separation said they will share custody of their adopted children Conor, 6, and Isabella, 8. "It is Tom Cruise's desire that the dissolution of the marriage be handled amicably," attorney Dennis Wasser said. "His major concern is the welfare of the parties' children." The couple separated in December, the filing said. On Monday, the couple blamed "difficulties inherent in divergent careers" for keeping them constantly apart. Publicists said the actors would have no additional comment. It is the second failed marriage for Cruise, who divorced Mimi Rogers in 1990 after three years. That same year, Kidman and Cruise met on the set of "Days of Thunder" and were married that Christmas Eve.

Cruise, 38, has starred in a number of high-grossing and critically acclaimed films, including "Born on the Fourth of July," "A Few Good Men," "Jerry Maguire," "Mission: Impossible," "Rain Man," "Top Gun" and "Magnolia." Kidman, 33, spent three months in Spain last fall filming "The Others," and Cruise was one of the executive producers. Her movie credits include "Batman Forever," "Malice" and "To Die For." The couple also starred together in the films "Far and Away" and 1998's "Eyes Wide Shut," the final film of Stanley Kubrick

Kidman surprised by break up
LOS ANGELES (Launch) - Although fans and their publicist Pat Kinglsey were shocked by news that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman split up, People magazine reports that no one was more shocked that Kidman herself. The magazine's upcoming issue cites an unnamed source close to the Aussie actress as saying Kidman was "broad sided" by how soon the word got out. "It came much sooner than expected," said the friend. Indeed, the break up has all the elements of a classic Hollywood mystery, not the least of which is it happened just weeks after the pair renewed their decade-long nuptial vows on their Christmas Eve 2000 anniversary. Three theories are swirling as to why the couple uncoupled. Although Kingsley maintains that Scientology - and Kidman's reported refusal to embrace it fully - had nothing to do with the split, it's only feeding the rumor mill. Cruise and Kidman's statement blame time apart and "divergent careers" for the break up. Others speculate that an unknown third party could have prompted it.

Cruise, Kidman split sparks rumor storm
LOS ANGELES (Launch) - Pat Kingsley, the high-powered publicist who represents Tom Cruise and his now ex-wife Nicole Kidman, is working overtime to deflect a maelstrom of rumors swirling in the wake of the couple's unexpected split. Through Kingsley, the ex-couple related that "the difficulties inherent in divergent careers" were responsible for the split, but that hasn't satisfied the rumor mill. In the upcoming issue of People magazine, Kingsley insists that the uncoupling had nothing to do with Scientology, the controversial religion that Cruise tirelessly advocates, and one that Kidman has admitted to loosely following. "They are not being controlled," said the spokeswoman. "They are not being counseled."

The couple was also quick to quash rumors that infidelity was to blame - that Cruise had become close to his "Vanilla Sky" co-star Penelope Cruz. Even George Clooney was forced into the mess, taking the unusual step of issuing a pre-emptive press release that he and his "Peacemaker" co-star Kidman were not an item, just to nip speculation in the bud. Cruise and Kidman will share custody of their two adopted children.