"I'm very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent," Holmes shared.
Katie Holmes is opening up about why she feels the need to protect her daughter, Suri, especially from the glare of the public eye. The 44-year-old shared a rare insight into her now 16-year-old daughter's upbringing. The Dawson's Creek star covered the April issue of Glamour telling the outlet that she's "very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent," and added of Suri, "She's an incredible person." Holmes reflected on raising her child out of the spotlight. "What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her," she said.
Suri is now even a part of her mom's work lending her voice to the opening credits of her film Alone Together and previously singing on Rare Objects. "I hope she always does something in my films. I always ask her," the mom beamed. "But both of those experiences came out of the same sense of what I love about our industry, which is, you have these projects and you become a family with people," she said. "And it's this safe, beautiful, creative space. So it comes out of love for me to include someone who I love dearly," she added. Holmes who rarely speaks about her daughter said, "That's how I like to work. I like to have that kind of feeling. It was very meaningful to me to have her there because she's my heart," she said.
Tom Cruise and Holmes began dating in 2005 and got engaged after just seven weeks of dating. They welcomed their daughter in April 2006 before splitting in 2012. It was reported that Holmes wanted to protect Suri from Scientology, a controversial religion, which Cruise reportedly practiced. Suri is now applying to colleges and is looking forward to working in fashion. Her mother is taking an active role in helping her daughter with the college applications, but according to reports, her father will not be weighing in on any decisions. The 60-year-old actor has been estranged from his daughter for 10 years since 2013, one year after he and the All We Had actress divorced.
In the early years, both Holmes and Suri were constantly followed by the paparazzi and they soon craved a life away from the pressures of the spotlight. The mother-daughter duo finally found solace in their privacy during the pandemic. "To live for a moment in time without the pressure of results," Holmes recalled in a November 2020 essay for Vogue Australia, "and instead appreciate the natural rhythms of mother and daughter was the most precious gift." Creative hobbies like sewing, painting, and writing "became new hallmarks of satisfaction" in their home. "During this time of uncertainty, remembering to be creative and positive has been something I have tried to keep at the forefront of my mind," she wrote. "Throughout this experience, the through-line for me has been a heightened awareness of each moment and really taking it in and appreciating it."
References:
https://www.glamour.com/story/katie-holmes-cover-story
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Amy Sussman
