How Nicole Kidman saved Katie Holmes

With her marriage to Tom Cruise crumbling, Katie Holmes was determined she wouldn’t suffer the same fate as his heartbroken former wife, Nicole Kidman.

Of all the lessons Katie Holmes learned while she was married to Tom Cruise, the most crushing one was how his two eldest children effectively turned their backs on their mother Nicole Kidman. “They don’t even call me mum anymore,” admitted a miserable Nicole, who divorced Tom in 2001 and has rarely seen Isabella, 19, and Connor, 17, since.

For Katie, the thought of losing her precious daughter Suri, 6, under the same circumstances is believed to have been the catalyst for her bombshell divorce application and sole custody filing on June 29. It’s now known that Katie, 33, believed her biggest fear was about to become a reality – that her little girl would be shipped off without her parents to Scientology school Sea Organisation, where young children sign a “one billion year” contract as a pledge to the religion.

While the church – in which Tom, 50, is believed to be leader David Miscavige’s right-hand man – denies Suri was destined for the school, Katie refused to take any chances that her daughter would become estranged from her, as Nicole’s kids did from their mother.

“Bella and Connor are devoted to their father and Scientology,” a source close to the family says. “Katie saw this first-hand, and this is one of the reasons she filed for sole custody. She will not be relegated to a secondary role in Suri’s life, and she is prepared to fight Tom in court.” After seeing how Nicole and Tom’s 2001 shock split played out, it’s no wonder the Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark star and her legal team are being so aggressive.