Inside Tom Cruise’s bond with his ‘extremely loyal’ son: Connor, 29, lives in a Scientology community in Florida where he fishes and runs a meat shack – and is the only one of the star’s 3 children who’s openly close to his father

As Tom Cruise’s career goes from strengh to strength and he cements his legacy as one of the most successful actors of all time, he can always count on the unending support of one particular family member.

Connor Cruise, the son he adopted during his marriage to Nicole Kidman in the 1990s, is now 29-years-old and said to be ‘incredibly loyal’ to his father.

Last year, as the Mission Impossible star promoted the newest film in the franchise in New York City, he was accompanied by Connor, as well as his sister Lee Ann. He 

Connor, who is now based in Florida, appears to spend much time with his father and was said to have chosen to live with Tom following his divorce from Nicole in 2001. He and his sister, Isabella, 31, were raised in the controversial Church of Scientology, in which Nicole had no part after the split.

As Connor and Bella maintain a close relationship with Tom, it is thought there’s a rift between the siblings and their mother as they have not been seen in public with Kidman since 2007. 

And overall, the children live relatively low-key lives – but Connor in particular is seen with his father frequently, supporting him on promotional tours all around the world.

Connor appears to be a private person who lives in Clearwater, Florida, in a home within a Scientology community.

A source previously told PEOPLE magazine he lives a ‘simple’ existence, saying: ‘He lives in his own home in a Scientology community. His life is deep-sea fishing. He has a lot of friends and seems very well-liked.’ 

Connor seems to be very passionate about deep sea fishing and often posts photos on his Instagram account proudly holding up his catch of the day on boats.

In 2016, Connor told PEOPLE he and his parents went fishing frequently when he was growing up.

He said: ‘I was blessed to travel the world as a young kid and now I’m traveling the world working.’

Among Connor’s other hobbies are golf, and he appears to enjoy days out on the course with his friends, according to his Instagram profile.

Although the 29-year-old’s main interests appear to tie in with his life in a seaside town in Florida as he makes the most of the natural resources around him, he also shares his appreciation for resources from the land.

In 2021 he started an Instagram profile, Connor’s Meat Shack, in which he shows off tender, slow-cooked joints of meat that he has cooked.

According to the Instagram bio on the account, Connor dabbles in ‘wagyu, brisket, burgers, chicken, and ribs on chars, flats and smokers’.

For more than two years between 2022 and 2024, Connor didn’t post on the account – however he shared a photo of racks of BBQ ribs eight weeks ago and insisted: ‘We are still cooking!!’ 

When looking at Connor’s modest lifestyle in Florida, one could be forgiven for forgetting he is the son of one of the most famous men in the world.

However he remains incredibly close to his father Tom and has been spotted in public with the Hollywood titan as recently as last summer.

In July 2023 Connor was spotted alongside his aunt, Tom Cruise’s sister Lee Ann, as they supported him in New York during the promotional tour for the latest Mission Impossible film.

Connor and his father were photographed separately in the city as they headed to an AMC theatre.

Connor dressed casually in a grey T-shirt and light blue trousers as he stepped out in the city with Tom’s older sister Lee Ann Mapother, 63. 

Lee walked beside Connor and looked bright in a pink top and white jeans. 

Elsewhere, the 29-year-old remains close to his sister Bella, who is now 31 and lives in London with her IT manager husband.

He often posts childhood snaps of himself and Bella on Instagram – once describing their relationship as ‘Day One homies’.

As for his relationship with his mother Nicole Kidman, Connor appears not to interact with his mother in public and does not follow her on Instagram. 

It has previously been reported that, although Kidman and Cruise were awarded joint custody of the children in their divorce settlement, Connor and Bella eventually chose to live with their father and remain members of Scientology.

Last weekend, Nicole Kidman, now 56, was awarded a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute – and paid tributes to the ‘loves of her life’; her husband Keith Urban and daughters, Sunday and Faith, in her speech.

However, her eldest children did not attend the ceremony in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.

While Bella liked an Instagram post from her mother about the gong, Connor did not publicly acknowledge his mother’s accolade. 

Despite a reported rift between Nicole and her eldest children – something Connor and Bella deny – the actress has previously spoken of her ‘unconditional’ love for Connor and Bella, in light of their ‘choices to be Scientologists’. 

It has been suggested that the church of Scientology may be the reason for the distance between Nicole and her older children.

In her book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, ex-Scientology member Leah Remini claimed that Nicole was labelled a ‘suppressive person’ or ‘SP’ by the church after leaving.

Ron Miscavige, the father of Scientology leader David, who himself renounced the religion, previously told DailyMail.com that there is a ‘toxic’ policy of ‘disconnection’ operating within the church. 

When Connor married his Italian wife Silvia Zanchi in a Scientology ceremony in 2019, his mother was notably absent from the occasion.

It was reported at the time that Cruise had prohibited his son from inviting Nicole to the occasion because of her status as a ‘suppressive person’.

At the time, an insider told Radar: ‘First, Tom would never even consider inviting Nicole to Connor’s wedding because she’s considered a ‘suppressive person’ by the church — and, second, he doesn’t want her there.’

However, Connor has previously insisted any suggestion of a rift between himself and his mother is untrue.

In 2014, he said: ‘I don’t care what people say. I know that me and mum are solid. I love her a lot. My family means everything.’