Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise is one of the most famous actors of our time, and even one of the highest paid in the world. It is no secret that the actor claims to be a Scientologist, ie. someone that places their religious faith in the Church of Scientology.

Scientology beliefs include a number of rigid viewpoints toward Western medicine and psychiatry in general. The actor’s religious beliefs created some problems with his old friend and co-star Brooke Shields. The two shared the screen in 1981, for the teen romance film Endless Love.

Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise

Brooke Shields’s Battle Against Depression

After the birth of her daughter Rowan in 2003, Brooke Shields went through an intense postpartum depression. The actress reportedly spent the first entire year trying to find the right kind of medication. She was initially resistant to the idea of medicating, but eventually reached a point where it seemed like she was going to “drive her car into a wall” on California’s 405 freeway.

The actress called her doctor from the car in the middle of the “terrifying” experience. She first opened up about her struggle in her 2006 memoir, Down Came the Rain. Shields also spoke of it in her two-part Pretty Baby documentary on Hulu.

Shortly after, her co-star and friend Tom Cruise made a rather uncomfortable appearance on the Today Show with Matt Lauer. They discussed Cruise’s engagement with Katie Holmes, but the conversation chilled when they came to the topic of Brooke Shield and her unfortunate experience that led her to start taking anti-depressants. This triggered Cruise and his Scientologist beliefs, and at one point he snarled, “There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance in the body.”

Tom Cruise reprimanded Brooke Shields for her decision to use antidepressants

He also openly admitted that he disagreed with the way she was dealing with her issues. He claimed that she could have recovered just as well with “vitamins and exercise”.

Following his blatant disregard and his ignorance toward her struggles, Shields was quick to clap back at the actor’s “ridiculous rant”. 

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression.”

The actress also mentioned how her body was in fact biochemically imbalanced after her daughter’s birth.  A year later, Cruise realized he had been ignorant and went on to issue a public apology to the actress for his careless comments.

Tom Cruise’s Famous Cake List

Tom Cruise is famous in Hollywood circles for a special annual tradition.

Tom Cruise with his family

The actor is known for sending a white chocolate coconut bundt cake to his famous friends every holiday season. Shields revealed that she once was on the coveted cake list, but stopped receiving it one year.

“I was on the list for a while. I had a good 10-year run, and I got the coconut cake every year, which I was very happy [about],” 

It would be a gift from Cruise, his then-wife Katie Holmes, and daughter Suri before the couple split up in 2012. The actress is unaware of what happened in the past few years that got her kicked off the list, but she is eager to receive the infamous cake again.

“I want to get back on that cake list. It’s the best cake,” Shields said with a laugh. “Tom, I need to be back on the cake list.”

Shields has been one of the many celebrities who have spoken fondly of the actor’s cake tradition. Top Gun: Maverick star Jay Ellis revealed that he was one of the lucky recipients of the delectable cakes, and how his family even froze it and took it on vacation with them.