In sensational gossip hitting the tubes today, an ex-Scientologist has come out to say that Tom Cruise and cult leader David Miscavige set up a fake movie audition in which Katie Holmes was the only actress invited. The real purpose of the taping was for Tom to meet and select a potential bride.
But it turns out, Kate was only 4th on Tom's "wish list" - ahead of her were Jennifer Garner, Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Alba - in that order.
Ex-Scientologist Marc Headley - who used to produce promotional films for the controversial religion - claims Kate was set up with the superstar after he split from Penelope Cruz in 2004 after three years together.
Headley tells News of the World, "After that (splitting from Cruz), he started complaining to his best buddy David about his luck with girls."
So Miscavige assigned a high-ranking Church of Scientology official to the task of 'Find a wife for Tom Cruise.'
"The official put out a casting call to female actresses, including Scientologists, saying, 'There's an upcoming Tom Cruise movie you might get a part in. Come for an audition.' But no movie was made."
The requirements for the girls were that they had to be single, they had to be pretty and in their 20s.
"First they rounded up Scientologist actresses like Erica Christensen, Erica Howard and Sofia Milos. But they were all rejected."
The unnamed official then tried to lure Garner - who had just started dating Ben Affleck at the time - with the beauty ranked top of the priority list, before Holmes was spotted gushing about Cruise and called to Los Angeles to meet the actor.
Headley adds, "Then... they went for Jennifer Garner, Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Alba, in that order. They came up with the same plan. Jennifer and Jessica didn't bite but Scarlett took the bait and came in for an audition. When she arrived at the audition address and found out it was the Scientology Center in Hollywood she freaked out and didn't do a tape..."
"So they worked the audition tape on Katie, got her to L.A. and introduced her to Tom."
The moment he meets her, he's enthralled with her and he told Miscavige later, 'I knew immediately she was the one.'"


