A resurfaced photograph of Tom Cruise and his two children, Connor Cruise and Isabella Cruise, from last winter has started to go viral, as this marked the first public sighting of The Mission: Impossible star with his kids in almost 15 years.

Taking to his Instagram page on December 27, 2023, former NFL player Derrick Brooks shared a group picture that featured Tom and his older children, which he captioned: “Good Evening, Wow, look who stopped by my office before our @tblightning game tonight! @tomcruise. 

“I was a little star-struck but played it cool and He said he was too!”

The group photo was taken at a Tampa Bay Lightning ice hockey game, where Derrick leads the group’s Corporate and Community Business Affairs Division.

In the picture, the 61-year-old actor had his hand in his pocket and stood in the front next to the ex-linebacker, who was between Tom and Connor.

In the back, Isabella, AKA Bella, could be seen peeking her head over the shoulder of another woman.

Image credits: Gage Skidmore

The last time Tom was seen with his 29-year-old son and 31-year-old daughter in public was in 2009, when they attended a soccer (football) game in Los Angeles, according to E! News.

Nevertheless, the Hollywood star has been seen with Connor over the years, attending sporting events together and cheering on the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Maryland Terrapins.

Tom and Nicole Kidman, who were married from 1990 to 2001, adopted both Bella and Connor amid their fertility struggles, as per Hello Magazine. 

Bella was welcomed into the family in 1992, and Connor followed in 1995.

The Golden Globe Award winner is also the father to Suri Cruise, whom he shares with Katie Holmes.

NFL player Derrick Brooks shared a group photo on Instagram at a Tampa Bay Lightning ice hockey game in December 2023

Image credits: officialdbrooks55

Suri just celebrated her 18th birthday on April 18, 2006, marking over a decade of not being seen with her estranged superfamous dad.

While Katie famously pulled out of Tom’s controversial Church of Scientology, known to shun and harass its former members, subsequently also removing Suri from the religious organization, Connor and Bella have stayed in the sect.

In a March 2019 newsletter for Scientology, Bella thanked her dad “for everything.”

First published on journalist Tony Ortega’s blog, The Underground Bunker, the promotional message described Bella’s experiences becoming an auditor — a member of the church who helps potential and current members “rid” themselves “of spiritual disability” and increase their own abilities — and urging others to do the same.

Image credits: Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images

As of May 2024, Connor is believed to live in the Clearwater area in Florida, where the Church of Scientology owns numerous properties, as he is a lifetime member, In Touch Weekly reported.

Although Nicole has kept quiet about her relationship with her children, in a 2018 interview with Who, the 56-year-old Australian actress said: “I’m very private about all that. 

“I have to protect all those relationships. 

“I know 150 percent that I would give up my life for my children because it’s what my purpose is.”

Speaking about Connor and Bella, she said: “They are adults.”

Tom’s recent outing with his kids marked their first in 15 years, though he’s been seen with son Connor at sports events before

Image credits: Noel Vasquez/Getty Images

“They are able to make their own decisions. 

“They have made choices to be Scientologists, and as a mother, it’s my job to love them.”

Since her divorce from Tom, Nicole has been reluctant to discuss Scientology.

In 2009, in London to promote her film Nine, the Oscar winner froze out the BBC‘s main political presenter, Andrew Marr, when he asked her about the religious organization, The Age reported.

During the interview, Andrew said: “Scientology. It is, a lot of people would say, a bullying cult.”

To which Nicole replied: “I’m here to publicize. 

“If I was here to do an expose on myself, then I’d be like, ‘let’s go,’ but I have no interest in discussing any of that.”

Tom’s daughter with Katie Holmes, Suri, remains estranged from him

Image credits: BACKGRID

Andrew retorted: “You don’t want to talk about Scientology in any way at all?”

But the actress stayed firm: “Nope. I’ll talk about.”

Nicole eventually married New Zealand-Australian country singer Keith Urban in 2006.

The couple welcomed their first daughter, Sunday Rose, in 2008, and a second daughter in 2010, Faith Margaret.

“At least he likes two of his kids,” a reader commented

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