Cruise Encounters of the Third kind
April 9 2008, Published 6:27 a.m. ET
Katie Holmes mayhave fallen for it, but Tom Cruise’ssci-fi seduction technique scared the bejeezus out of ScarlettJohansson, a source close to the actress says. Weeks before he beganwooing his brainwashed bride-to-be, Cruise made repeated phone calls to the19-year-old starlet—who was then set to co-star with him in MissionImpossible III—imploring her to meet him at the Scientology CelebrityCenter in L.A. But when the actress finally agreed, the supposedly professionalget-together took an oddly spiritual turn. “Cruise took me into thisroom, which was stifling hot, and was showing me all kinds of info about joiningthe church,” Johansson told our source. “The whole time hedidn’t even offer me a cookie!” Instead, he offered herdinner—and a glimpse into the Twilight Zone.
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After two hours ofproselytizing, our source says Cruise opened a door to reveal a second roomfull of upper-level Scientologists who had been waiting to dine with the pair,at which point the cool-headed ingenue politely excused herself. Soon after themeeting, Johansson dropped out of Mission Impossible III, reportedlydue to scheduling conflicts. Asked about the incident,Johansson’s momager, Melanie Johansson, referred RadarOnline.com to apublicist, who did not return calls or emails seeking comment. After strikingout with Johansson, Cruise reportedly turned his attentions to 24-year-oldJessica Alba, 22-year-old Kate Bosworth, and18-year-old Lindsay Lohan, before settling on the 26-year-oldHolmes. As far we know, Cruise’s War of the Worldsco-star, Dakota Fanning, was never under consideration.