Risky Business

The New York Times > Movies > How Personal Is Too Personal for a Star Like Tom Cruise?:

Tom over the top?
Other rumors that the whole Katie Holmes affair is a hype and a front
Fall in love with the only "avowed virgin" in Hollywood ???

Give me a break

Channeling L.RonHubbard ...



"An executive for Viacom, Paramount's parent company, said the studio had not yet decided whether to push ahead with production of 'Mission: Impossible III,' one of the company's most valuable franchises and a project on which tens of millions of dollars has already been spent. Shooting was planned to begin in Italy on July 18 and to continue on location in Europe and elsewhere.

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'No definitive decision has been made; it's a discussion,' said the executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared endangering the studio's relationship with Mr. Cruise. Other executives involved in the discussion said the production became an issue in recent days as the budget has climbed well over $150 million. A studio spokeswoman, Janet Hill, declined to comment.

The uncertainty comes at a critical time for Paramount as it prepares to release 'War of the Worlds,' a big-budget science fiction epic directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Mr. Cruise. The movie, jointly financed with DreamWorks, is to open on June 29.

While promoting that film over the last several weeks, Mr. Cruise engaged in an increasingly public discussion of his religion, Scientology. Then he set tongues wagging in Hollywood and elsewhere with an hourlong appearance on the May 23 'Oprah' show, during which he jumped around the set, hopped onto a couch, fell rapturously to one knee and repeatedly professed his love for his new girlfriend, the actress Katie Holmes.

Many Hollywood stars are involved with the Church of Scientology, and there is nothing particularly unusual about trumpeting a new love. But some executives at Paramount and DreamWorks have voiced concern that fans were becoming distracted from the movie, which cost some $130 million to produce.

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