The biggest news in Katie’s life so far has been her relationship and eventual marriage to Tom Cruise. And the biggest scandals have of course been connected to that, most especially her conversion to Scientology.

Tom’s many run-ins with society at large have been due to Scientology, and there are more stories concerning that than can be comfortably told in one post, so let’s just focus on how this former Catholic schoolgirl’s life has been impacted by this cult.

The most obvious and well-reported is the firing of her long-time manager and her agent soon after her conversion to Scientology. These two were replaced by Jessica Rodriguez, who comes from the rich and influential Fesbach Scientology family, and is a high-level Scientology officer herself. This person is reportedly Katie’s “Scientology chaperone”, which reflects the kind of control this cult likes to have over its members. Being the wife of their most prominent member, of course she has to be watched closely.

Scientology requires members to sign a release form promising never to sue Scientology and to permit Scientology staff to hold them in isolation, with no contact with friends or family, for as long as staffers deem necessary. This is called “The Lisa Clause”, after Lisa McPherson, who dies under the cult’s custody in 1995. Is this Jessica Rodriguez the staffer assigned to Holmes? She most probably is, among others. There have been other people hanging around Katie wherever she goes, whispering into their communication devices.

After six weeks of knowing Jessica, Holmes was already saying that she was her “best friend”. In her notorious interview with “W” magazine, Katie was accompanied by Jessica, who injected comments as often as possible, even answering for Katie.

“When Holmes is asked to describe her feelings for Cruise, Feshbach interrupts and says, ‘You adore him.’” Fox News reported on their website. It’s not surprising that this formerly thoughtful and articulate person now has to have questions to her answered by a high-ranking Scientologist, especially considering the circumstances surrounding her conversion.

On April 11, 2005, Holmes flew to LA to have a meeting with Cruise about a possible part in “Mission Impossible 3”. The next time Katie made a public appearance was on April 27, where she was suddenly the love of Cruise’s life. During those 16 days together was also the time she fired her manager and agent. So what happened during those 16 days? With Scientology’s well-known array of “mind-enhancing” techniques, your first guess will probably be the right one.