Katie Holmes may be a true believer after all.
While those close to the actress say she split from Tom Cruise to keep their daughter, Suri, 6, from Scientology, insiders close to Cruise insist that the bustup has nothing to do with the church and that Holmes is still a devotee.
“She was totally committed to Scientology. She had enthusiasm for it and would voluntarily and gladly participate in it,” a source described as “well connected” to Cruise told TMZ.
“This is not a fight over religion. It’s being used as a way to hurt Tom.”
Holmes filed for divorce because Cruise controlled her like a “puppet master,” sources close to the actress told the gossip Web site.
“She felt like she couldn’t breathe without his permission,” one source said.
Two film execs said that in 2005, while the couple was dating, Cruise ordered producers of her film “Thank You for Smoking” to “kill” promotional photos that showed her and star Aaron Eckhart kissing.
Cruise also allegedly strongarmed producers of 2005’s “Batman Begins,” prohibiting Holmes from flying with castmates.
Cruise’s lawyer, Bert Fields, hinted the actor would respond soon.
“We are letting ‘the other side,’ play the media until they wear everyone out,” Fields told the BBC.
Yesterday, Holmes was spotted for a second time this week at a Whole Foods near her Chelsea pad.