Katie Holmes recently opened up in a rare interview, sharing her commitment to “protecting” her daughter, Suri, whom she shares with Tom Cruise.

Holmes and Cruise, the star of Mission Impossible, had a very public separation in 2012 after six years of marriage. Since their divorce, Holmes has had custody of Suri and has kept her out of the spotlight as much as possible.

Holmes, who became famous at 19 for her role in the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, reflected on her early career. “When we were doing Dawson’s Creek and it was successful, I remember really wanting to grow as an actor and not just do things to capitalize on the moment,” she told Glamour Magazine. “I wanted to learn from other people.”

However, her fame skyrocketed when she began dating Tom Cruise. Their daughter, Suri, was born amidst intense media attention, with paparazzi capturing new images of their family almost daily. To protect Suri, Holmes stepped back from the public eye, taking a break from her career until 2011.

In 2012, Holmes and Cruise divorced after five years of marriage, which led to rampant speculation about the reasons behind their split. Many believed Holmes wanted to distance herself and Suri from the Church of Scientology, which Cruise is famously involved with. Reportedly, Holmes filed for divorce in New York to increase her chances of gaining sole custody of Suri, as the state prefers not to award joint custody to warring parents.

Holmes was successful in gaining sole custody, which allowed her to keep Suri away from Scientology. Cruise, who was reportedly blindsided by the divorce, was unable to control the narrative as he had during his split with Nicole Kidman.

Even today, Holmes’s desire to protect her daughter remains strong. In an interview ahead of her new film, Rare Objects, the 44-year-old said, “What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her. I’m very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She’s an incredible person.”

Recently, it was reported that Tom Cruise’s relationship with Suri is virtually non-existent. According to Page Six, the 60-year-old Top Gun star hasn’t seen his daughter in years.

Are you a fan of Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes? Do you think Katie’s done the right thing by shielding Suri from the press?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.