Tom Cruise skipped Oscars ‘to avoid run-in with Nicole Kidman’

Tom Cruise skipped the Oscars on Sunday to ‘avoid an awkward run-in’ with Nicole Kidman, DailyMail.com has exclusive learned.

Insiders said the Top Gun: Maverick star was not at the ceremony due to his estranged ex-wife being there – following their bitter divorce over 20 years ago.

Cruise and Kidman split in 2001, reportedly due to her refusal to join him in the Church of Scientology.

But sources close to Cruise revealed that he was not able to attend due to a conflicting schedule as he films Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning 2 in Britain.

Cruise and Spielberg gave each other a warm embrace at the 2023 Oscars’ luncheon, where the legendary producer was overheard stating that Cruise ‘saved Hollywood’s a**.’

Picture perfect: Kidman and Urban couldn’t keep their hands off each other at the Oscars, which were not attended by her estranged Scientologist ex. 

They shot down the idea that Cruise did not attend due to Kidman being there, or that he was a no-show because he was not personally nominated.  

‘Tom’s absence from the Oscars was not anything personal and, despite what is being said out there, he did not skip the show because he was not nominated,’ the Cruise confidant said. 

‘He is in the UK filming Mission Impossible — Dead Reckoning 2. Tom was very pleased that Maverick got such recognition, and he is also very proud of the film.’

‘He did, indeed, watch the awards last night. Tom worked very hard on the film and has supported in every way that he can, work permitting.’

Regarding the reason for him attending the luncheon on February 13 that Kidman was not at, the source added: ‘He was at the Oscars luncheon because his schedule allowed it at the time.’

At the luncheon one month ago, legendary director Steven Spielberg told the 60-year-old action star Cruise that Maverick ‘saved Hollywood’s a**’ by bringing back audiences to theatres.

‘And, you might have saved theatrical distribution. Seriously. Maverick might have saved the entire theatrical industry,’ Spielberg, 76, was heard telling his long-time friend in a now viral video shared by Oscar nominee Kartiki Gonsalves.

It is no coincidence, however, that Kidman, 55 – who walked Oscars red carpet with her country crooner husband Keith Urban, 55, before packing on serious PDA during the show – did not attend the luncheon that was attended by her Scientologist ex.

In fact, Kidman has also not spoken to the two children that she adopted with Cruise – Isabella, 30, and Conner, 28 – in years.

Isabella and Conner are both devoted members of The Church of Scientology like their father.

Kidman was shunned by the church and labelled an SP, which stand for Suppressive Person. As a result, she was cut off from her family.

Kidman met Cruise in 1990 when the two were cast together in Days of Thunder, a film about motor-racing.

She was 23 at the time and, coming from Australia, was unknown in Hollywood. That all changed when the stars sparked a real-life romance during the filming.

After 12 years of marriage, Cruise walked out on his wife in 2001, leaving her in a state of ‘utter shock.’ He filed for divorce that same year, citing ‘irreconcilable differences.’

According to countless reports, the real reason for him abandoning her was due to her refusal to join the Church of Scientology.

In 2012, Kidman opened up about her painful split from Cruise in an interview with DuJour Magazine.

‘I thought our life together was perfect. It took me a very long time to heal. It was a shock to my system,’ she said.

‘We were in a bubble, just the two of us. We became very dependent on one another. I was reeling with Tom,’ she told the outlet. ‘I would have gone to the ends of the earth for him…. I was totally smitten – I fell madly, passionately in love.’

The former couple co-starred in three films together between 1990 and 1999 – Days of Thunder (pictured), Far and Away and Eyes Wide Shut.

Critic’s favourite: Their film Eyes Wide Shut did not get the recognition they were hoping for, despite it’s steamy love scenes. 

Collaboration: Kidman and Cruise also co-starred in the period romance Far and Away in 1992

Happier times: Cruise and Kidman (pictured in 1992) divorced in 2001 after 12 years of marriage amid rumours his commitment his Scientology drove a wedge between them

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Looking back, she told the outlet that she was ‘naïve’ to think that Cruise was her happily ever after. She also said that she was ‘happier’ that she’s ‘ever been.’

‘I’m living in a friend’s house in Nice. My two daughters are with me, Sunday Rose, who’s four, and Faith Margaret, who’s two,’ Kidman gushed.

Kidman and Cruise have not had any interaction in over a decade.

In a 2015 interview with Australia’s Who magazine, Kidman broke her silence about her relationship with both kids.

‘They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions,’ Kidman said, adding ‘They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it’s my job to love them.’

That same year, Kidman also spoke out about her divorce from Cruise during a speech at the Women World Summit in NYC.

‘I was running from my life at that time. I wasn’t able to handle the reality of my life,’ she told the audience.

At the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022, Cruise was celebrated with a 10-minute montage that included highlights from his entire career, which spanned four decades.

The montage left out Kidman, who made three films with her ex-husband during their marriage.

She took the high road and said nothing about being snubbed from Cruise’s highlight reel.

Top Gun: Maverick centered around Capt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell thirty years after the original film. In the flick, he was forced to deal with ghosts from his past. ‘s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly 

Cruise missed the 2023 Oscars on Sunday – with his film Top Gun: Maverick taking home the award for Best Sound 

Incredible: Everything Everywhere All At Once nearly won everything and it earned top honor Best Picture with individual recognitions for Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis

In 2006, Cruise married actress Katie Holmes. The two had a daughter together, Suri, who is now 16 years old and lives with her mom in NYC.

They divorced in 2012 and it is alleged that his ties to Scientology caused the breakdown of their marriage.

Suri does not have a relationship with her father and neither does Holmes, 44, who was awarded full custody in their divorce.

Per their agreement, Cruise reportedly had to pay Holmes $400,000 n alimony and $33,000 a month in child support until Suri turns 18.

Although Cruise was not in attendance at the 2023 Oscars, producer Jerry Bruckheimer was set to accept the award if Maverick won the award for Best Picture.

The movie starring Cruise was nominated for Best Picture along with Elvis, Avatar: The Way of Water, All Quiet on The Western Front and The Fabelmans. Everything, Everywhere All at Once won in the category.

Cruise was not nominated for his performance in the film. Austin Butler was nominated for his role in Elvis, as well as Bill Nighy for Living. Brendan Fraser won for his incredible performance in the film Whale.

Maverick was also nominated for Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Film Editing, Sound, Visual Effects and Music (Original Song). The only award that the film garnered was for Sound.

Kidman was nominated for five Academy Awards in the Best Actress category and, in 2002, seized the coveted golden trophy for her amazing portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours.