The anxiety exhibited by little Suri Cruise when confronted by hordes of paparazzi doesn’t seem to be going away. In fact, since Katie Holmes’ new Broadway play opened in previews last month, it seems like Suri’s fear of photographers has gotten worse. Maybe it’s because the toddler is being dragged back and forth to every rehearsal and performance, so the paps know where she’s going to be now. Or maybe it’s because the little girl misses her siblings, her own room and the small bit of privacy she might have had at home in L.A.
And now that dad Tom Cruise has joined his family in New York, there are even more photo opps. The most recent one was last night at NYC’s Alice’s Tea Cup restaurant. The family was photographed leaving the eatery in the evening, and as usual, poor Suri hid her face by burying it in her dad’s shoulder. This pose has become the norm for the little girl – and every time I see it, I feel so sad for her. She was such a happy, smiley baby and now she just looks scared all the time.
Tom and Katie are in a tough spot here. They have high-profile careers that make it impossible for them to leave the house without being followed. But Suri is just a child, and she clearly isn’t able to handle the stress the way her parents do. While keeping her house bound probably isn’t healthy either, there has to be a better way than constantly dragging Suri to events and locations where the paps will be thrusting cameras in her face. Tom’s other children, Bella and Connor, have been able to lead relatively normal lives, Scientology notwithstanding. They even play on sports teams with other kids, without being subjected to the same level of exposure as their little sister. And other celebrities with just as much star power as the Cruises manage to keep their children protected-including Tom’s ex-wife, Nicole Kidman. Why can’t Tom and Katie see what this is doing to their daughter?
Photo credit: WENN
Babysitter?
She’s afraid because all paps are evil thetans.
I think, too, that a baby sitter might be in order. You don’t have to keep the kid cooped up in the house 24/7 – take her out during the day, to the zoo, park, whatever. I’m sure cameras clicking away during the day are less frightening than all those flashes at night. She doesn’t need the late evenings after all — oops, I forgot! She doesn’t have a bedtime, doesn’t matter if she’s up half the night, because she’s a totally adult little person inside the child body.
maybe she isnt cowering. It is night time, this could have been late and she could have been falling asleep. My 2 year old nephew does that all the time
those flashes are bright im sure that has something to do with it.
Those people are nuts. I’M too young for Manhattan’s bustling nightlife, if she’s this socially active at 2, she’ll make Drew Barrymore and Kelly Osborne look like they spent their HS years in a nunnery.
RUN, Suri, RUN!!!!!
It’s not just the flash bulbs in her eyes. It’s the rudeness of the paps. These are strangers yelling her name in loud tones, wanting to get her picture. That has to be very traumatic for a small child. I guess Tom and Katie are busy during the day and they want to have Suri with them in the evening. I fell sorry for the kid. Can’t they put her in more comfortable clothes once in a while then always dresses and party slippers?
I don’t know if it’s as bad as it looks. These pictures are taken in a matter of a few seconds, when they are walking the few steps from restaurant to waiting car. Does that really cause such a trauma?
“Why can’t Tom and Katie see what this is doing to their daughter?”
Because Suri is just a convenient prop, part of the Cruise Propaganda Machine that is trying to desperately to keep everyone convinced that he’s a straight-shootin’ heterosexual dad. IT’S A SHAM!
These parents should be locked up for whoring out their child for their own purposes.
I can see it going either way, however they seem to be good enough parents all scientology jokes aside. They probably just tell her in a nice way to cover her eyes or curl up in daddys shoulder so the lights won’t hurt her eyes or something. Kids are resilient, as long as you can give them a way to percieve their situation as a positive, they can usually cope just fine.
Len: If it happens nearly every time she venture outside, it’s probably very traumatic.
She definitely will have problems from this. When you were 2 years old, did you have random strangers calling out your name? I would really wonder how everyone on earth knows who I am.
Get the Beckham kids over, or somone close to Suri’s age to play with while her parents go out. She needs to be in a daycare to learn how to socialize with other children. Let’s pray for Suri, and her parents.
It’s true that you can almost always tell next to nothing from a split second snap shot, however, continued exposure to this vulture like environment is not good for anyone… especially an impressionable little girl.
And Kayla, you can pray for them all you want but I won’t be. I don’t think the Cruises need God to help them make better decision for their own children – just a some common sense and less self-absorbed focus on themselves.
When I see these pictures I feel for her too. In the videos, it is usually less than a minute from the restaurant to the car. Maybe they don’t think that affects her very much. They live with her so may be the observe her behaviour and do not think it is so traumatic for her. There are pictures where she is covering her eyes and when they enter a store, she is running around like nothing happened. Maybe her parents told her to cover her eyes. If she was really that traumatised wouldn’t she refuse to get out of the car or restaurant? You know how kids are.
A sitter is a good idea but when you work the whole day, 12 hours, leaving your kid with a sitter is just more time away. Lets not forget that they do have dinners without her. Kids can also be clingy and insist on going out with parents.
It may seem like they are every where but we see these pictures like once or twice a week.
That child is always dressed like a doll. It’s disturbing, particularly since the parental units are dressed in obvious fall clothes and Suri is wearing some light fabric, sleeveless dress with bare legs. Between the two of Tom and Katie they haven’t got an ounce of sense.
That being said, if they believe children are adults in immature bodies, she probably gets to pick what she wants to wear…regardless, it’s neglectful.
Tom and Katie are still using Suri as their PR Girl. If Tom didn’t have such a big ego and have to have bodyguards and the fleet of big black SUVs he and Katie travel in, and that trail them everywhere they go, then people wouldn’t notice them. I’m just surprised that each SUV doesn’t have the little delegate flag emblazoned with ‘Tom Cruise!’ flapping in the breeze! So, Suri will continue being used to generate publicity for their careers. It is so sad and despicable.
It seems like a lot of these photos are taken WAY PAST Suri’s bedtime
I’ve been noticing this more and more, too, and it makes me sad for her. She looks miserable lately, and it got to be so hard for a little girl.
But what makes me a little pissy is that Katie and Tom are always smiling. Their daughter is clearly not happy with the situation (and it’s not just this one pic, it’s ALL the time lately) and they just smile for the cameras.
They could have used the blanket to shield her eyes from the flashes…
Those bright flashes of the camera bulbs are blinding, hence, the polarized sunglasses Tom and Katie are wearing. I could image the screaming paps yelling Suri’s name so they could get a shot of her face.
Very scary for a little child that doesn’t know what’s happening.
Why don’t they put some sunglasses on that poor little girl? Her retinas are probably fried.
They need a nanny who can take care of her at home, and take her out to the zoo or park or play area, without Tom and Katie always being present. That way she’d get some time without being constantly photographed.
why do they have to drag her out at night all the time anyway? a 2 year old needs a schedule, and a schedule includes a set bedtime. can’t they get a babysitter, or is that against the scientology childrearing rules?
Because she’s a two year old out past a reasonable bed time, inappropriately dressed for the chilly weather, exploited by her parents to court more media interest, and because all these things seem to be the norm for her not the exception one has to conclude both her parents are total ass hats. There are kids of equally well known actors who none of us have ever seen, or see very rarely because their parents protect them. Unfortunately for Suri neither of her parents seems interested in doing that for her.
Agree Kate. The poor kid’s probably tired as well as scared. Kids that age don’t appreciate late night fine dining; they need to have supper, bath and be tucked up in bed. Tom’s supposed to be an experienced parent; why does he insist on dragging her around town dressed as if she’s going to a birthday party?? I guess they couldn’t find a babysitter who had been brainwashed, I mean re-educated, by the Church of Scientology.
God, I look at this and just think we’re looking at Christina Onassis MkII. And that really saddens me.
That particular restaurant looks very child-friendly, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for a 2 year old after dark in October.
I’m not doubting for a second that they don’t love her, but how many people just have not got a clue when it comes to boundaries and their children – they’re guilty for going out to work and let them stay up until all hours in order to have “quality time” when everyone’s too tired to enjoy it or can’t/won’t instruct them on what’s appropriate behaviour.
I know it’s easy for me to say as I don’t have kids, but I think it’s so sad that a child is subjected to that rat run so often.
I’m agreeing here. Sure, her parents work all day. Most people do work all day. But that baby needs a warm bath, a comfort food dinner, and an early bedtime. I understand they do not make her go to bed, though, she goes when she chooses. Which leaves her without any sort of routine to her life. Kids thrive on routine, it represents security to them. This isn’t to say that you can’t do wild and wonderful things on the weekend, but basically they need to stick to some sort of daily schedule, and it has to be geared for their benefit and not for yours.
And put that kid in some jeans and a hoodie, for heaven’s sake! She’s a pretty little girl and is adorable in those princess clothes, but she’d be happier, more comfortable and just as pretty in play clothes.
Msat I’m afraid they are trying to toughen her up (remember, being afraid of something isn’t permissible in the Scientology world!!!). Too bad for Suri, little dear 🙁
Rosanna (#28), good point. In $cientology, fear is a weakness and you HAVE TO confront anything you’re afraid of, as often as possible, until it no longer frightens you. Or so their thinking goes.
Now, that may work great for an adult who is afraid of, say, dogs, and goes to work in an animal shelter. But I’m not sure LRon had hundreds of rude paparrazi and a little two-year-old in mind when he made his rules up. How sad this all is.
wow why blame the parents? why do the paps have to even get that close in the 1st place??? i mean they have zoom lenses….
L. Ron was only thinking of the benjamins. I feel awful for Suri. I’m sure her parents love her, but they don’t seem very aware of a child’s needs
My 2.5 yr old was born a few weeks before Suri (she was born on what was my ducklings due date!) and whenever we get into any situation where he’s at all nervous, he’s up in my arms and cowers into my shoulder. And these are situations where we enter a room full of relatives at Easter or something…not waaaay past his bedtime in a strange city with strange people snapping photos and screaming her name! Poor little Suri needs to be at home in bed, with a sitter…THEN maybe Tom and Katie can go out for dinner.
(And, really, do you think those restaurants are at all kid friendly??)
Here is an idea – put her to bed and then go out for dinner.
Two year olds should be in bed by
7 – 7:15 pm . Bath, story, bed!
Quit dragging her all over New York.
Amusing how you never see pictures of Gwyneth and Chris dragging apple and moses to dinner with them. Actually never see Gwyneth and Chris @ dinner why do you think that is? Perhaps because they don’t use their children to further their own careers. Perhaps because they don’t tip the paparazzi off when they are going to dinner.
They think because they love her and have buckets of cash that she’ll be alright? Its okay for an adult to chose to live with celebrity but does she have a choice? Look at all those people in the background watching them, it must be like that every time they leave the house. Wealth and fame do not a happy carefree childhood make. I find it disgustingly selfish actually.
I don’t think their behavior show love for this child. She is being used as a prop. We are a loving family as we have this child here..see.. I am not gay as I have this child here….see…My wife and I are deliriously happy as evidenced by this child here…see
Where is social services when you need them?
Fear is a survival instinct, the kid has good instincts regarding these soul-sucking leeches with cameras.
To Chris, #17:
Suri doesn’t have a bedtime. She’s allowed to set her own bedtime and stay up as late as she wants to. Her parents don’t believe in setting limits. That poor child is a mess. She doesn’t seem to have any friends at all. Her mother takes her to the toddlers’ gym but instead of playing with the other kids, Suri has a private lesson. I don’t think she has a clue as to how to relate to children her own age.
People can say whatever they want about Brad and Angelina as parents, but they do enforce an 8 p.m. bed time for their children and have no problem whatever saying no, reinforced if necessary with “Because I said so.”
Poor Suri. You have tons of money, hire someone and keep her at home. There is no reason to be parading her, all over town. At least wait until she is older. Tom is an idiot.
what can i say! poor little kid….
im sure suri would have ask for another parents if she could……….
family cruise should try normal clothes sometimes…………
I dont remember him parading his other kids around at all hours like prized pigs when they were little…..it was rare to see them at all……but not Princess Suri. Give this kid some time with Jennifer Garner – I think some Violet needs to rub off on her, that kid seem to be having as close a thing to a normal upbringing as Hollywood kids can get….
I honestly don’t think she’s cowering from the paps. She only hides her face when they are taking pictures at night and all the bright lights are shining in her eyes. That’s why celebs ALWAYS have sunglasses on, even at night. She doesn’t hide from them during the day.
Cheyene, how would you know about Brad’s kids? The stories from there indicate that their kids are unruly and indisciplined. Have you seen Zahara out of control in Paris and Brad and hios dad trying to restrain her? I doubt whether those kids have any discipline. Maddox looks like a good lad though.
Syko, I am surprised that you think routine is good for kids seeing as you said there is nothing wrong with changing country for kids every three months.
Lola, stories from where? If you mean the bullshit printed in the Star and the NE, I’d take that crap with a whole bushel of salt, never mind a grain.
Are Scientologists light sensitive? What’s with the sunglasses 24/7? Are they both afraid if we see their eyes we’ll see right thru to the back of their heads? They’re both so weird, poor Suri. I think Angelina and Brad should adopt her. Hell maybe even Rosie O’Donnell would give Suri a more stable home.
More recent photos of Suri trying to hide from photogs – in broad daylight: http://justjared.buzznet.com/gallery/photos.php?yr=2008&mon=10&evt=suri-hairclip&pic=suri-cruise-hair-clip-02.jpg