Tom Cruise Sues National Enquirer Over ‘House Of Horrors’ Tale

Tom Cruise is taking legal action against The National Enquirer following their July 11th issue, which proclaimed that the Mission Impossible actor was a monster who abused his soon-to-be ex-wife Katie Holmes, and even locked daughter Suri up in a “tiny, windowless room” for five months.

Newser reports that Cruise’s attorney Bert Fields, along with the rest of his legal team, sent an email to the publisher on Tuesday, before the issue came out, demanding that they halt the publication of what they called, “the most defamatory cover the Enquirer has ever done.”

The Hollywood Reporter notes, however, that the tabloid failed to do so, publishing their latest issue with a picture of Holmes looking worse for wear, Cruise yelling in victory, and the couple’s home, as well as the title, ” The Real Tom Cruise Is A Monster.”

THR obtained a copy of a cease-and-desist letter sent by Fields after the publication hit newsstands, saying, among other things, that:

“Your cover announces, as a fact, that ‘THE REAL TOM CRUISE IS A MONSTER.’ Mr. Cruise is certainly not a ‘monster.’ He is a caring father, a hardworking actor and, above all, an honest, decent man.”

Fields also wrote in the letter that the cover is “disgraceful and lurid” and will end up costing Cruise “hundreds of millions of dollars of professional and personal damages, for which we intend to hold American Media, and everyone who participated in the perpetuation of this scurrilous attack, jointly and severally liable.”

Extra TV reports that Fields also called Cruise’s so-called torturous actions against Katie Holmes false, saying:

“It is also untrue that Mr. Cruise subjected his wife to ‘relentless verbal abuse emotional punishment, humiliation and intimidation.’ These are all egregious lies.”

He also slammed accusations that the Church of Scientology monitored Katie Holmes, keeping household staff who reported her actions to David Miscavige, the leader of Scientology.

Bert Fields ended his letter by threatening legal action against the National Enquirer, and asking them (well, maybe more like demanding) to:

“…retract each and every one of your false allegations about Mr. Cruise with the same prominence and emphasis as you gave your original false and defamatory assertions… these disgusting lies about Mr. Cruise will be there for all time, to be read by his children and, someday, his grandchildren.”

Do you think that Tom Cruise is right to threaten legal action against the National Enquirer for their story calling him a monster, or is it their right to print whatever they want?