Katie Holmes Fired Her Talented Stepdaughter Bella Cruise despite Calling Her ‘Mom’ for Years

• Katie Holmes embraced Bella and Connor Cruise into her life when she married their dad, Tom Cruise.
• They were a happy, blended family, with Bella and Conor calling Holmes "mom" and spending a lot of time with their half-sister Suri.
• Years later, Holmes fired her stepdaughter Bella from her clothing line, which reportedly stunned the talented young woman.

When Katie Holmes married Tom Cruise in November 2006, she embraced his adopted children, Isabella and Connor, as her own. They wed seven months after Holmes gave birth to their daughter, Suri Cruise.

Before they married, the "Top Gun" actor was with actress Nicole Kidman from December 1990 to August 2001. Isabella and Connor were their adoptive children.

Throughout their marriage, Holmes openly spoke about Isabella and Connor. During an interview, she once said:

"His first two children are incredible, really smart, and kind. They call me 'mom.'"

Holmes and Cruise did a great job with their blended family. They'd take their children out on public dates with them, with the "Mission Impossible" star once taking his son Connor and daughter Suri to the Friars Club gala, where he received a top award.

They also enjoyed watching football together, with the couple once joined by Isabella and Connor to watch the Washington Redskins. They were at the owner's box to support Cruise's business partner, Redskins owner Dan Snyder.

Of course, when it came to their children's endeavors, the proud couple also made time. In May 2006, just a month after Holmes gave birth to Suri, she and Cruise stepped out to support Connor in his little league game. Isabella was also in attendance, as well as the actor's mother.

They Encouraged Their Kids' Passions

Aside from supporting Connor in his games, the couple also helped Isabella pursue a job. She worked for her stepmom's clothing line, Holmes and Yang, until two months before she filed for divorce from Cruise.

According to a source, everything was going well between Holmes and Bella until she was abruptly fired from her job. "This was a carefully planned ambush. Katie didn't want Bella working for her anymore because she was Tom's kid," the insider said.

The sudden firing reportedly stunned Bella, who had no idea what was coming for her. Everything suddenly made sense when news of Cruise and Holmes' divorce came to light.

The Hollywood couple, nicknamed "TomKat," split in 2012 after six years of marriage. Their divorce came amidst Cruise's vocal support for the Church of Scientology, which Holmes disagreed with.

Their Complicated Relationships

Following the divorce announcement, the Cruise children remained mum until Connor broke the silence by posting a cryptic message on Twitter. "#LaFamilia Always. Friends Come And Go, But Family Is Forever," he retweeted.

When everyone seemed to alienate Cruise, Connor remained by his side. Nowadays, Connor lives in Florida and is a deep-sea fisherman. He also owns a BBQ restaurant.

Meanwhile, after parting ways with Holmes' clothing company, Isabella works as an artist. She lives in London and has kept a low profile through the years.

When Isabella married in 2015, her adoptive parents were reportedly not invited. She wed Max Parker in an intimate celebration in London with just a couple of friends in attendance.

Despite Cruise not attending, he reportedly paid for the wedding and the after-party at the luxurious Dorchester Hotel. His non-attendance also did not mean he and Isabella weren't on good terms, as Max and Isabella usually spend holidays with the actor.

After everything they've gone through as a family, what Isabella and Connor made clear was their love and support for their dad. During the "Top Gun: Maverick" promo period, they posted about it to support their dad's iconic movie.

While Isabella and Conor have been in contact with their famous dad for years, he and his daughter Suri are estranged and have been so for over a decade.

Through the years, Cruise's co-stars have vouched for the actor's excellent work ethic and the way he always got along with the cast and crew he's with. He even gained some good friends from his movies, including Val Kilmer.

It is unclear whether or not his children, Isabella and Conor, have chosen to become Scientologists like their dad. However, when asked about it in 2019, Nicole Kidman once explained: "They have made choices to be Scientologists. It's our job as a parent to always offer unconditional love."

With Kidman halfway across the world in Australia, she does not see her adopted children as often as her ex-husband does. However, when she married Keith Urban in 2006, her children flew to Sydney for the special occasion.

The versatile actress is the first to admit that her relationship with her children has ups and downs. By the time Cruise got remarried, Isabella and Connor were already calling her "Nicole," while referring to Holmes as "mom."

Admittedly, Kidman hated the fact that they don't call her mom. However, she continues to offer them unconditional love, which she hopes they feel from wherever she is.

While Isabella and Conor have been in contact with their famous dad for years, he and his daughter Suri are estranged and have been so for over a decade. The court gave Holmes sole custody of Suri when they divorced in 2012.