

Agunda Okeyo
Jun 30, 2024
Dearest Reader,
In the 1990s one of the hottest shows on television was Bravo’s Inside the Actor’s Studio. hosted by the late, great James Lipton. I was a massive fan of the program in the 1990s into the early 2000s and occasionally re-watch old episodes. During the pandemic, I re-watched an episode of the program with guest Tom Cruise from 2004. This is the era of the Hollywood actor’s career circa Vanilla Sky (2001), Mission Impossible II (2002), The Last Samurai (2003) and Collateral (2004). Cruise is sporting a tight black turtle neck and has some beard growth as he boasts that infectious, intense smile which made him one of the most profitable actors in film history. However, Cruise is also a proud and revered member of The Church of Scientology—effectively a cult with a stable of Hollywood stars as devout members. Cruise joined in 1986 after being introduced by his then wife, Mimi Rogers. Aside from being an entertaining performer, I have often examined Cruise, closely looking for traces of how his membership in a cult affects his worldview. How does that Faustian bargain of a cult membership in exchange for fame present it self? In the church, Cruise is arguably it’s most exalted member and he willingly acknowledges the cult’s role in shaping him for professional success following years struggling with dyslexia. Some argue we are living in an age of cults everywhere and I have to admit, I tentatively agree with that framing.