Tom Cruise has three sisters – Lee Ann, Marian, and Cass Mapother – one of whom has previously worked as his publicist. Lee Ann Mapother/DeVette, who is only two years older than her brother, was brought on as his publicist in March 2004, despite having no previous experience in the field.
Tom Cruise és egyik nővére, Lee Ann Mapother. Lee Ann 1959-ben született. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/LRidYbN1by
What followed was the worst publicity run Cruise had been a part of at that time. After she joined his team in 2004, the actor was constantly in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
For starters, he got backlash for his criticism of Brooke Shields using antidepressants to treat her postpartum depression. As per EW, Cruise opened up to Matt Lauer about his rejection of psychiatry, calling Shields “irresponsible” for taking antidepressants after the birth of her first child.
He said, “There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance. The thing that I’m saying about Brooke is that there’s misinformation. She doesn’t understand the history of psychiatry.” Of course, Shields swung back, and Cruise later apologized.
Another setback for Lee Ann as a publicist was Cruise’s unhinged moment on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where he jumped on the couch and professed his love for Katie Holmes. As per the NY Times, Lee Ann stated at the time that the move had delighted his fans and was blown out of proportion by the media. Check it out:
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After a string of moments harming Cruise’s reputation back then, he had to make the tough decision of firing his own sister as his publicist, less than two years after she was hired.
He went on to hire a public relations expert, Paul Bloch, from the Rogers & Cowan PR firm.
What Did Tom Cruise’s Sister Do After She Was Fired?
So, what did Lee Ann do after she was stripped of her duties? Well, Tom Cruise wasn’t entirely harsh on his sister and gave her a new role on her team. He released a statement back then (via Independent), stating that while she had done a “wonderful job” as his publicist, she would go on to handle his charitable work.
He stated that Lee Ann had “always expressed a desire to oversee and expand the day-to-day activities of my charitable endeavors,” adding,
This seemed an appropriate time to make that segue and bring Rogers & Cowan on board to handle mine and the company’s entertainment-related publicity needs.
Lee Ann was seemingly alright with the change in her title, and stated that she was looking forward to working on and publicizing Cruise’s involvement in social reforms, children’s health issues, and the “general betterment of the human condition.”
She said, “I know how important Tom’s charitable goals are to him.”
The Tragic Childhood of Tom Cruise and His Sisters
Tom Cruise has previously spoken about his and his sisters’ childhood, and the details are nothing short of heartbreaking. In an interview with Parade in 2006, the Top Gun actor called out his late father for being a “bully and a coward.”
His mother, Mary Lee Pfeiffer, had to take care of him and his sisters largely on her own due to her split with Thomas Cruise Mapother III in 1974. As per the outlet, his father was an electrical engineer who never held down a job and kept the family moving, searching for jobs.
Cruise recalled,
He was a bully and a coward. He was the kind of person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. It was a great lesson in my life—how he’d lull you in, make you feel safe and then, bang! For me, it was like, ‘There’s something wrong with this guy. Don’t trust him. Be careful around him.’ There’s that anxiety.
Cruise was 11 years old when his parents split. While he called that chapter of his life “painful,” he added, “My mother finally had the courage to stand up to my dad and go, ‘No more! I’m not taking it. So long.’”
Praising his mother, he credited her for motivating him to create his own life. She would work three jobs, take care of the kids, and make sure to give them hope through it all.
What are your thoughts on Tom Cruise’s past as well as his short-lived collaboration with his sister? Let us know in the comments section below!
