Scarlett Johansson attends the Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images via JTA)
Scarlett Johansson denied and condemned as sexist claims by a former Scientologist who said on television that she was “interviewed” to be Tom Cruise’s date.
On Wednesday, Brendan Tighe said during an interview for NBC’s “Megyn Kelly Today” that while he was still a member of the Church of Scientology, he had seen correspondence between Cruise, a Hollywood star and practicing Scientologist, and his then-personal aide, Tommy Davis.
The correspondence, Tighe said, contained a report by Davis to Cruise suggesting that Johansson, a film star who is Jewish, was “interviewed” in connection with becoming Cruise’s romantic partner. The report said the interview “did not go well,” Tighe said.
“The very idea of any person auditioning to be in a relationship is so demeaning,” Johansson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, which printed her reaction shortly after the TV interview with Tighe.
In this Tuesday, June 6, 2017, file photo, Tom Cruise attends a special screening of “The Mummy” at AMC Loews Lincoln Square in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
“I refuse for anyone to spread the idea that I lack the integrity to choose my own relationships. Only a man aka Brendan Tighe would come up with a crazy story like that.”
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today, and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors.
Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy;
Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.
As a Community member, you’ll enjoy our outstanding DocuNation series of Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience of our site and podcasts, commenting privileges, and more.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel