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Paramount severs Cruise links over actor's 'conduct'

Wednesday, 23 August 2006

Paramount Pictures is claiming to have severed its 14-year relationship with Tom Cruise due to the actor's off-screen behaviour.

The company's chairman says he has severed the highly profitable relationship because the 44-year-old's "recent conduct has not been acceptable".

However, Paula Wager, the actor's partner in Cruise/Wagner Productions, says the company itself stopped negotiating a new contract with Paramount two weeks ago after securing alternative financing.

It is unclear what Paramount chairman Sumner Redstone meant when he referred to Cruise's "recent conduct".

The Hollywood star has attracted controversy due to his involvement in scientology and his marriage to actress Katie Holmes, who is 17 years his younger.

In the past year or so, he also jumped up and down on a couch on Oprah Winfrey's talk show while proclaiming his life for the 27-year-old, criticised the use of anti-depressants and claimed that post-natal depression did not exist.