Tom Cruise – Fired By Paramount

Tom Cruise Got Fired!

Sumner Redstone, whose company owns Paramount Pictures, said the studio would sever its 14-year relationship with Cruise’s film production company because "his recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount."

"As much as we like him personally," the Viacom Inc. chairman told The Wall Street Journal, "we thought it was wrong to renew his deal."

In the past year or so, the usually guarded actor came under intense scrutiny after he jumped up and down on Oprah Winfrey’s couch while proclaiming his love for Katie Holmes, openly advocated Scientology, and criticized Brooke Shields for taking prescription drugs to treat postpartum depression. The religion founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard opposes psychiatry and its medication.

Redstone estimated that Cruise’s off-screen behavior cost his latest movie, "Mission: Impossible III," $100 million to $150 million in ticket sales, even as he praised the film as "the best of the three movies" in the action series.

"It’s nothing to do with his acting ability, he’s a terrific actor," Redstone said. "But we don’t think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot."

This is ONLY THE BEGINNING. Mark my words – there’s going to be even more crazy crap from Tom Cruise in the next month. I’m guessing a bigger visibility of his role within the Scientology cult, a breakup with Katie Holmes…if he lets her out of his sight.

Tags: tom cruise, katie holmes, paramount, scientology, cult, mission impossible, sumner redstone