Jenny McCarthy says holding Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ infant daughter at their 2006 wedding rehearsal dinner left her feeling frightened. She remembers the guests’ reaction as the “Scientology stare.”
McCarthy attended the Italian celebrations with her then-boyfriend, Jim Carrey. She recalled the experience on the Oct. 15 episode of The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show, during a conversation with former Scientologist Anne Gollert Hill.
Hill spent almost two decades in the organization, including time in its Sea Org, before leaving in 2007. Their interview covered her experiences with church leadership and the difficulties of starting over outside Scientology.
Cruise’s representatives did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on the episode. Entertainment Weekly also said it had contacted representatives for Cruise, Holmes and Scientology about McCarthy’s account.
McCarthy Says Conversation Resumed After She Returned Suri
McCarthy recalled sitting directly across from Cruise and Holmes, surrounded by the couple’s close circle, when a nanny brought Suri to her mother. McCarthy, who described herself as someone who loves babies, asked Holmes whether she could hold her daughter.
Holmes slowly handed over the infant while the other guests watched, McCarthy said in excerpts published by Parade. She compared the atmosphere to Rosemary’s Baby and recalled greeting Suri while everyone remained focused on her. When she passed the baby back, she said, the guests returned to their conversations.
The Italian Wedding Brought Hollywood Guests to Odescalchi Castle
Cruise and Holmes married on Nov. 18, 2006, at Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, northwest of Rome. Suri, born that April, was seven months old. A Scientology minister conducted the ceremony before more than 150 relatives and friends, according to the Associated Press.
Will Smith, Jennifer Lopez, Brooke Shields and Victoria Beckham were among the guests. Extra documented McCarthy and Carrey arriving together, while its cameras also spotted Holmes cradling Suri through a castle window. Fans and photographers gathered outside the castle, with helicopters overhead.
Giorgio Armani designed Holmes’ ivory silk gown, embellished with Swarovski crystals, and Cruise’s navy tuxedo. Cartier supplied their white gold and diamond wedding bands. The reception included a multicourse banquet, a five-tier white chocolate cake decorated with roses and a performance by Andrea Bocelli, followed by fireworks.
McCarthy Recalls an Awkward Introduction to David Miscavige
When Cruise introduced Scientology leader David Miscavige as his best man, McCarthy recalled responding, “Haha you got picked, congratulations.” She acknowledged that her delivery could have sounded dismissive and said his expression changed. Cruise laughed, which she interpreted as an attempt to ease the exchange.
At the wedding, she remembered Miscavige delivering a best-man speech that lasted roughly half an hour and portrayed the newlyweds as a couple who would have extraordinary importance in the world. Sitting near Smith and Lopez, McCarthy said she watched Holmes trying to smile and thought some of the bride’s relatives seemed confused by parts of the remarks. She also described the celebration itself as beautiful.
Carrey Declined Aspen Invitations, According to McCarthy
Cruise called Carrey several times to invite the couple to his Aspen home, McCarthy said in the account covered by Entertainment Weekly. She recalled Carrey refusing because he believed they would face an effort to recruit them into Scientology.
According to McCarthy, Carrey told her that he had already been approached about joining and had declined. She described Cruise as a “very nice human being” based on their personal interactions, despite her suspicions about the invitations.
McCarthy Says She Checked on Holmes During Later Visits
Cruise and Holmes attended gatherings at the home McCarthy shared with Carrey after the wedding. During those visits, McCarthy said she sometimes took Holmes aside to ask whether she was all right or needed help, according to a separate EW report. She described Holmes as looking like a “deer in headlights” and recalled a change from the woman she had known before the marriage.
Holmes filed for divorce in June 2012. Her attorney, Jonathan Wolfe, told PEOPLE that the matter was private and that Suri’s interests were her priority. Cruise’s representative said he was saddened by the filing and concentrating on his three children.
On July 9, their lawyers announced a signed settlement. In a joint statement, the couple pledged cooperation as parents and respect for each other’s beliefs. Holmes’ attorney Allan Mayefsky told ABC News that the terms were confidential.