Scientologists Blast Cruise Bio's Claims

Also talks Scientology in 'Playboy' interview

(NEWSER) - Tom Cruise promotes his upcoming musical Rock of Ages in the latest issue of Playboy , but not surprisingly, the movie talk isn’t getting quite as much attention as the quotes about Cruise’s personal life. Some highlights:

• On plastic surgery: "I haven't [gotten any], and I never would."
• On his PR nightmare: Asked what he learned from his controversial interview with Matt Lauer (in which he disparaged psychiatry and prescription drugs for post-partum depression) and his Oprah couch fiasco, Cruise replied, “When I go back and look at it, I find myself thinking, I don’t feel that way. I get how it came across, but I don’t feel that way, and I never have. Telling people how to live their lives? I saw how that came across and how pieces were edited.”

Apparently there's a lot of clay, and perhaps some grade inflation to boot

(NEWSER) - They grow up so fast: Suri Cruise’s first day of school—Scientology-flavored school—was last week. So what’s it like at the New Village Leadership Academy in Calabasas, California, which uses L. Ron Hubbard’s “study technology” educational system? Well, for one thing, there’s a lot of clay. Sculpting is apparently big at schools like this, Slate explains, because Hubbard said students are frustrated when they have no access to “mass,” or the physical presence of whatever object they’re studying. According to the official study technology website, without mass students feel, among other things, “sort of spinny” and “squashed.” Therefore, Suri will probably be encouraged to use clay to sculpt concepts she’s learning about. More»

Tom Cruise wants another, and she's doing a lot of 'auditing'

(NEWSER) - Suri Cruise may soon be getting a present even better than her $30,000 toy car or $850 handbag : a little brother or sister. Katie Holmes has been spending more time than usual at the Hollywood Scientology Center—more than four hours last week—leading some to believe she’s “being prepared” for a second child. “This is exactly what happened just before she got pregnant with Suri,” a source tells the New York Post . “Tom has made no secret of the fact that he would like another baby.” More»

'We never took our eyes off prize,' actor tells faithful

(NEWSER) - Tom Cruise was one of the inspirational speakers at a secret Scientology confab in Britain, apparently attributing his success to his membership in the controversial organization. Cruise was joined by Katie Holmes and daughter Suri, John Tavolta and Kelly Preston, and some 4000 other guests at the hush-hush international gathering in West Sussex. "Because we never took our eyes off the prize, we stand where we are today," Cruise told the mob, Us reports. "We are in this together!" As for protesters outside, Cruise snorted: "They're squirrels." More»

Tom influences David on everything, except Scientology

(NEWSER) - David Beckham and Tom Cruise have such an amazing friendship, it inspired almost a chapter in a new book about the soccer star, reports the New York Daily News. The two met in 2003 and now share an agency, PR firm, vacations, and zip code. And Cruise has influenced many of Beckham’s decisions, from joining the LA Galaxy to the name of his third son: Cruz. More»