Is Keri Russell the latest ingenue to fall under Scientology’s spell?

Radar Magazine/July 8, 2005

Is Keri Russell the latest ingénue to fall under Scientology’s spell? Ever since Russell scored her plum supporting role in Mission Impossible III, we hear, the Felicity alumna has “suddenly become very interested” in co-star Tom Cruise’s much-mocked religion—and is excited to learn more from the master. She’s even been spotted buying books on Scientology and visiting the sect’s L.A. Celebrity Center, sources say. Russell’s publicist said she is “on hiatus” while her client is filming and could not comment, but it sounds as if the actress may be one of Cruise’s few fans in the production. Though Paramount decided to proceed with the spy sequel—an assistant in co-producer Paula Wagner’s office said filming starts in Italy on July 18—Cruise’s War of the Worlds publicity meltdown made the studio wary of giving their proselytizing star too much leeway.

“Paramount is terrified that it will be deluged with lawsuits from extras, caterers, and actors who will say that they were coerced into Scientology on the set,” an insider tells us. “Tom is not passive about having those tents set up. On the War of the Worlds set, he directed people to them and often asked them to talk out their issues in the Scientology tent.”

But it’s not only the studio—Cruise is feeling the friction, too. “Tom is pissed that Paramount is going head to head with him over these issues,” says another studio insider. “He really feels he is helping people and that Paramount is trying to prevent him from doing that. But they just want their movie made—they don’t want to be involved in all this other crap.”

Paramount spokeswoman Janise Madatian called reports of a rift between Cruise and the studio “incorrect,” saying, “There’s no problem between Paramount and Tom. We have a great relationship.” Cruise’s publi-sis, Lee Anne De Vette, agreed. “Tom’s been working with the studio for years and they have a great relationship. There’s no friction. That’s a crock of shit.” As for her brother’s onset demands, De Vette said that during the shooting of WOTW, Cruise didn’t ask for the “assist” tents to be set up—”they were already there” when he arrived. Furthermore, she said that although Cruise invited Scientology volunteers onto the set to man the tents, no one felt pressured to use them:

“Tom received a lot of letters from people who had assists thanking him, and there are a lot of people who didn’t have them, too. If you don’t want them, don’t have them! It’s like the coffee he brings onset. If you don’t want coffee, don’t have the coffee!” De Vette added that, in addition to coffee and Scientology volunteers, another perk of working with Cruise is complementary foodstuffs from Coldstone Creamery and In N’ Out Burger. Asked whether these types of amenities will be on the set of MI III, De Vette said “absolutely.” Mmmm…delicious!