Jumping the Couch

Over the next several years, Cruise and Kidman found themselves fiercely defending the happiness and legitimacy of their marriage. They filed two different lawsuits against tabloid publications for stories they considered libelous. In each case the couple received a published retraction and apology, along with a large monetary settlement which they donated to charity.On February 5th, 2001, Cruise and Kidman announced their separation after 11 years of marriage. The couple cited the difficulties involved with two acting careers, and the amount of time spent apart while working. Cruise filed for a divorce shortly thereafter. The publicity surrounding the surprising breakup continued throughout the spring, as Kidmans publicist confirmed that the actress suffered a miscarriage roughly one month after the separation was announced. The divorce was finalized in August 2001.

Following the divorce, Cruise briefly dated his Vanilla Sky co star, Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, followed by a much publicized relationship with actress Katie Holmes. A month after his ties to Holmes became public, Cruise professed his love for the actress in a now famous appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. During the interview, he jumped on Winfreys sofa, shouting Yes! then pulled a shy Holmes onto the stage.In June of 2005, after a two month courtship, Cruise proposed to Holmes in a restaurant at the top of the Eiffel tower. He then announced the couples engagement to a crowd of reporters. Several months later, in October of 2005, Cruise and Holmes announced that they were expecting their first child together.The hasty proposal and surprise pregnancy quickly became tabloid gossip. But Cruise made even bigger headlines that year as an outspoken advocate for Scientology. He openly criticized former co star Brooke Shields for using anti depressants during her recovery from postpartum depression. He also denounced psychiatry and modern medicine, claiming Scientology held the key to true healing. Cruises statements led to a heated argument with news anchor Matt Lauer on The Today Show in June of 2005. Cruise later apologized for the incident.In 2006, Cruise and Holmes welcomed daughter Suri into the world. That same year, the pair got married in an Italian castle. Such stars as Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and Victoria and David Beckham attended the wedding. In June 2012, after five years of marriage, Cruise and Holmes announced that they would be splitting.