Tom Cruise‘s producer partner Paula Wagner has slammed the Hollywood star’s critics, insisting the actor has become a victim of religious prejudice because he is a Scientologist.
The Mission: Impossible star recently came under fire for accusing government officials of lying to the public in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks–comments that were made in newly surfaced video footage promoting Scientology.
But Wagner, who co-owns the United Artists studio with Cruise, is adamant his controversial views as a Scientologist have had no effect on his professional career.
She says, “I am not a Scientologist, nor are most of the people Tom and I work with, but that doesn’t mean I can sit by silently while he is attacked for his religious beliefs.
“As a filmmaker and an American, I feel strongly that an individual’s religion should have no bearing on their professional life. I have always believed that Americans celebrated these differences.”
“It’s easy to mock an out-of-context video. But that doesn’t change the fact that Tom Cruise is one of the hardest-working and nicest human beings I have ever known.”
And Wagner also took the opportunity to address the “inaccurate” new book about the star by British author Andrew Morton, called Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography.
She adds, “(The book is) filled with distortions and outright lies that no sensible person will take seriously.”
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