Despite being prolific on silver screens around the world since the early 1980s, not much is known about Tom Cruise’s personal life.
Specifically, the 62-year-old actor has been very private about his relationship with his three sisters, who are rarely seen with him in public.
Despite this, the Hollywood star is believed to share a close bond with her siblings, having been the only male member of their household for much of their shared childhood.
Tom’s father, whom he previously described as “a bully and a coward”, abandoned his mother in the 1970s, prompting the actor to become the man of the house at a very young age.
The selfless Top Gun star then took on odd jobs around his neighborhood to care for his three sisters and support his mother.
Tom Cruise appeared to be in high spirits on his 62nd birthday earlier this week as he boarded a helicopter at Battersea Heliport in London.
He was joined by his sister Marian (pictured) as the pair were photographed at Battersea Heliport in London.
Tom Cruise and his sister Lee Anne (left), who is also his former publicist
Tom’s other sister, Cass Capazorio (pictured), is the director of a company that, according to The Sun, is dedicated to teaching Scientology courses.
Tom’s sisters appear to share his belief in the Church of Scientology, of which Cruise has been an avid follower for decades.
The quartet even live under the same roof in Florida, each owning an apartment in a luxury apartment building dedicated to the church, it has been reported.
The nine-story Skyview building is just a couple of blocks from its world headquarters in Clearwater, according to Sun.
Tom’s sister, Lee Anne Gillotte, is part of the building’s management and is also the treasurer of ‘Skyview Condominium Association Inc,’ the newspaper reported.
The Sun also claimed that her other sister, Cass Capazorio, is the director of a company that teaches Scientology courses.
Meanwhile, her husband Greg is reported to be the director of another company that helps rehabilitate prisoners using Scientology techniques.
His third sister, Marian Henry, her son Cal and daughter-in-law Marjorye are also said to be Scientologists.
Cruise has remained close to all of his siblings throughout his life, having endured a difficult childhood with his abusive father, Thomas Cruise Mapother III.
Tom Cruise’s mother Mary Lee with ex-wife Katie Holmes and Tom’s sister Marian in 2007
Tom’s sister, Lee Anne Gillotte (left), is part of the management team at the building where the four siblings live.
Tom Cruise’s sister Cass Capazorio is photographed with her husband Greg
In a 2006 interview with Parade magazine, Tom detailed the abuse he suffered growing up at the hands of his father.
He said Thomas “was a bully and a coward… the kind of guy who, if something went wrong, he’d kick you. It was a big lesson in my life – how he’d calm you down, make you feel safe and then, bang!”
He added: “For me, there’s something wrong with this guy. Don’t trust him. Be careful with him. There’s that anxiety.”
He described his mother Mary Lee, who separated from his father in 1974, as a “very warm, charismatic, very kind, very generous woman.”
At the age of 11, Cruise and his family moved to Kentucky after his mother separated from Thomas.
She was forced to take three jobs to support her four children, but Tom, ever the attentive and reliable son, went to work.
He started delivering newspapers in the morning, mowed his neighbors’ lawns and even took on cleaning jobs to help his family stay afloat.
Tom Cruise and his mother Mary at the 66th Golden Globes
Tom’s sister Marian with her mother Mary at Cipriani 42nd Street in 2007
Tom’s former publicist Lee Anne DeVette is seen taking photos at the Japanese premiere of Knight and Day in 2010.
One of his neighbours, Bill Lewis, previously revealed: ‘No job was too dirty or difficult for Tommy, as long as he could afford to help his mother.’
Lewis added that even when her mother hurt her back from working so hard, the star allegedly told her: ‘My mother could have sat there every morning and cried and cried.’
“He didn’t. My mom was very proud. He had dignity. He’s going to work hard.”
In light of her injury, one of Mary’s friends had to move in with them to help with the workload while the family also lived on food stamps for a period of time.
John later divorced Mary in 2012 and passed away in 2015 at age 89 after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, while Mary died in 2017.
She then moved to New Jersey and married John “Jack” South in 1978, when Tom was 16.
Both Mary and her husband supported Tom’s dreams of becoming an actor.
Tom’s sisters have previously supported him throughout his career (Marian, left, and Tom’s mother Mary Lee, right, pictured in 2007).
Tom Cruise’s mother Mary (pictured in 2007), who passed away in 2017
Mary previously explained how she told them about her ambitions after starring in a high school production of Guys And Dolls.
She said: ‘After the show, Tom came home and said he wanted to talk to my husband and me.
“He asked me for 10 years to try my luck in show business. Meanwhile, my husband thinks: ‘How much is this going to cost me? Ten years of what?’
Tom said, ‘I really feel like this is what I want to do.’
‘And we both totally agreed, because we both felt that it was a God-given talent and that he should explore it because he was very excited about it.
‘So, long story short, we gave him our blessing and the rest is history.’
The Church of Scientology has been contacted for comment.
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