Behind the scenes of Suri's Vanity Fair shoot

Jane Sarkin, Vanity Fair‘s features editor, talked to CBS The Early Show co-anchor Rene Sylerthis morning about photo shoot behind the infamous Suri Cruise cover and photo spread.  She revealed her observations from the five day photo shoot in Telluride,CO, with Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, photographer Annie Leibovitz and of course, the fabulous Miss Suri Cruise.

Here are some choice tidbits.

-Tom and Katie gave them full access.
"It was incredible.  It was an open experience. Theylet us go wherever we wanted. We shot whatever we wanted. We were therefor five days. Annie Leibovitz and I did everything together. And itwas a really incredible experience for us. Tom has never allowed anyoneinto his private world like that and I don’t think he ever will again."

-Tom is a great dad and Katie is a great mom. 
"Itwas amazing to see the biggest movie star in the world trying to cuddlehis little baby, feeding the baby, put the baby to sleep.  He’s a very hands-on father, and she is an incredible mother."

-Katie doesn’t have a full-time nanny and her stepkids Connor and Bella help out.
"She is such a hands-on mother. They have very little help in thehouse, which was another thing that was incredible.  Butshe does everything with that baby. Actually, Connor and Bella, Tom’schildren, are so helpful as well. They all chip in."

-Katie has been deeply hurt by the rumors about Suri and about her relationship with Tom.
"Katie actually took me asideand said ‘I want to talk to you privately about how all the rumors inthe press have really hurt me, hurt my family. Ijust want to be happy. I just want to take care of my children. I’mplanning a wedding. I’m so excited. I’m so in love with Tom. We’re sohappy together,’ and the rumors really hurt her."

Source: CBS ShowBuzz

 

Comments

I had said before that it seemed as though things were spun in the media & twisted. I’m not a huge TC fan but I really felt sorry for how mean everyone was being. I don’t think he’s done anything that horrible to deserve his child being attacked verbally. I would have a really hard time if people were starting those rumors about my child as well, it would break my heart. I feel for Katie. And Suri is really adorable. I had a ton of hair as a baby too, lots of kids do. All babies are unique, that’s what makes them so special!

- Bridget on September 6th, 2006

It’s nice to hear Katie speaking for herself instead of Tom doing all the talking. She sounds like a doting and protective mother. Makes me feel bad for all the things that were being said about them at a time when they were experiencing their greatest joy.

- LaMama on September 6th, 2006

Well it’s nice that she doesn’t have a full-time nanny though they do have assistants who take the private jet to go grocery shopping, LOL.

I feel sorry for her and I think Suri is cute, but I also think that she’s not considering the fact that their own (or Tom’s rather) over-the-top behaviour and constant appearances in the media kickstarted all those rumours. Unfortunately for them, in hindsight, their antics made it seem like a case of “the lady doth protest too much” which gave everyone who wanted a reason to bash them more fuel.

I think she would be better off not reading tabloids even though I can understand her curiosity about what people are saying about her and her family, but it’s a little late for that now.

- ili175 on September 6th, 2006

It’s amazing how this whole brainwashed Cruise army comes out of the woodwork now to say how “sad” they feel at so much gossip. This is all spin and it’s shocking how certain people are buying it. Katie was told to take the reporter aside and make it look like she’s speaking from the heart. they’re all manipulating the media — just check the timeline for Tom’s sudden contrition and baby picture/”I’m so hurt by all the gossip” release. All following the Paramount fiasco. Tom is trying to salvage his career.

- millie on September 6th, 2006

Katie usually leaving most of the doing and talking to Tom doesn’t really surprise me as he is not just much older than her, but also more experienced, has been a superstar for twenty years and is used to taking control. Many women enjoy letting their men take the lead in a relationship, especially in the early stages. Accusing her of being “brainwashed” is ridiculous. I can imagine how the rumours must have hurt her and probably the rest of the family as well – but especially Katie as Suri’s mother must have been so upset by all the trash talk that had been going through the media, like calling her baby an “alien”. Even now, with Suri’s pictures finally out for everyone to see, there are still people out there picking on silly things and trying to find faults (or “proof” why Suri can’t be their child etc).
They have done nothing wrong – it’s their family and their kid, not anyone elses and as parents, they are entitled to making decisions like, when to release photos of their baby and how.

Even if they’d released a photo straight away, it wouldn’t have stopped the rumours. People would still have wondered if Suri was theirs but the rumours wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand. That’s probably why Angelina and Brad decided to release Shiloh’s pictures so soon after her birth – to “get it over with” and then be left alone to get on with their lives.

Oh, and btw, Suri is beautiful. She doesn’t look “asian” at all. She has her parent’s slanted eyes and thick dark hair. Suri looks like the perfect mix between Tom and Katie. When I look at Tom or Katie, I wonder what people expected Suri to look like, if not like her parents.

- pink.lioness on September 6th, 2006

I have always believed them and believe that they are goo dpeople. Maybe have some different beliefs than most but they are entitled to that. I would have done the same if I was a public figure under so much unfair speculation. It would really hurt me and I think it’s immature for people to assume anything about people they’ve never looked in the eye and talked to.

- Kori on September 6th, 2006

These photos are all very cute & it’s nice to see Isabella & Conor included.

- Heavenly_Hibiscus on September 6th, 2006

i think they brought those rumours on themselves. they had a crazy relationship and tom’s behavior makes me get the creeps and what creeps me out even more is that katie holmes would be with a guy like that. they should have addressed the rumours right away and not have made their relationship and pregnancy so public. tom needs new pr thats his fault. in fact, they seemed to enjoy it while it lasted. they brought this whole media blitz on themselves whether the rumors are true or false. katie blame tom. bottom line, i don’t feel one bit of pitty for them.

- natalie on September 6th, 2006

i also agree with the poster above that the whole family is manipulating the media. they have been since day 1…why would it be any different now?

- natalie on September 6th, 2006

I’ve never really understood the vitriolic attitude exhibited by the public toward Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and especially toward their baby. People can’t seem to help themselves when it comes to being cruel and most of all, to think they know all the intimate details of someone’s life. Whatever reasons the Cruise family had for not releasing pictures of their child, you know, it’s NO ONE’S BUSINESS. As for Tom’s career, he doesn’t need a Vanity Fair spread to bolster his career. I’m not even a fan of his movies but even I can see that he will have a movie career for some time to come. I wish people would grown up. It really gets tedious to read the same drivel day after day.
As a matter of fact, I think I’ve just about come to the end of the road when it comes to reading these blogs.

- Carol on September 6th, 2006

I’ve never really understood the vitriolic attitude exhibited by the public toward Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and especially toward their baby. People can’t seem to help themselves when it comes to being cruel and most of all, to think they know all the intimate details of someone’s life. Whatever reasons the Cruise family had for not releasing pictures of their child, you know, it’s NO ONE’S BUSINESS. As for Tom’s career, he doesn’t need a Vanity Fair spread to bolster his career. I’m not even a fan of his movies but even I can see that he will have a movie career for some time to come. I wish people would grown up. It really gets tedious to read the same drivel day after day.
As a matter of fact, I think I’ve just about come to the end of the road when it comes to reading these blogs.

- Carol on September 6th, 2006

I work for a sound and lighting company, the majority of our shows are large concerts and I see alot of people first hand that are SOOO NOT like what the media plays them out to be whether it be good or bad.I have seen some people who everyone thinks is an angel go completely BONKERS! Yeah, it is fun to get a laugh out of it, but really… until they themselves say it. I don’t really believe it.
The whole sonogram machine stuff was a bit wierd sounding at first, but now that they have told their side, it completely makes sense.

- Elizabeth on September 7th, 2006

i feel for katie and her baby suri, and it’s good she’s addressing everything said about them… but the baby was truly in hiding(from the public) before this cover shoot and i still dont like tom, great timing to boost his movie career.

Suri is so precious!

- lays on September 7th, 2006

Actually, the news that Annie Leibowitz was shooting pics of Suri came out weeks before the “paramount fiasco”. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m not really seeing a whole lot of brain washing going on. I think some people are determined to feel a certain way & seem to want to spin things to fit that opinion. I personally would have gotten really stubborn about releasing pics after all the hoopla got started, and felt like “you’re not going to force me to release pics.” This must be hard for Connor & Isabella too.

- Bridget on September 7th, 2006

I most certainly am NOT a Tom Cruise fan (I happen to really dislike him), but I must say that I do feel sorry for him and Katie. To have a vast number of people doubting your child’s existance, and have the media twisting your entire relationship into a money-stealing campaign must be incredibly hard. I never believe what I read in tabloids, especially when it involves Tom and Katie. Exactly HOW many times have they been “breaking up”? It’s laughable sometimes…

Suri looks like a beautiful little girl, and I’m very happy for them. I’m glad they finally showed her to the world!

- Ava on September 7th, 2006

i totally agree with natalie… these are all part of his game, you know manipulating the media (cant blame him, been in this business for so many years, he learned a lot & got some power in his hands)… bcoz of his weirdness (it all started last year, in fairness)even katie and the baby has to be dragged on the same level, for that tom is to be blamed… as suri’s parents they’re entitled to their own decision as to when to release the photos, but I cant help to be skeptical of the timing… anyway, tom is business as usual!

- lays on September 7th, 2006