A new story in Vanity Fair claiming Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology held auditions for a mate after his divorce from Nicole Kidman has earned a furious rebuke from Bert Fields, Cruise's longtime lawyer.
In a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter, Fields writes, "Vanity Fair’s story is essentially a rehash of tired old lies previously run in the supermarket tabloids, quoting the same bogus 'sources.' It’s long, boring and false.”
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Among the shocking revelations in the story, written by Maureen Orth, it's claimed that Nazanin Boniadi -- an actress allegedly selected as a potential wife for Cruise in late 2004 -- was forced to clean toilets with a toothbrush and dig ditches in the middle of the night after being found insufficient.
Scientology officials have gone on record denying the claims as well, with a spokesperson telling Vanity Fair, "The Church does not punish people, especially in [that] manner.
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Cruise's most recent marriage ended after his now ex-wife Katie Holmes filed for divorce on June 28 and the couple reached a settlement two weeks later.