Valerie Haney, a former member of the Church of Scientology, confirms that the church auditioned women to be the actor's girlfriend and she was in charge of it.

• Dec 3, 2018

AceShowbiz - Scientology does audition Tom Cruise girlfriends, says a former member of the church. Valerie Haney, who was a member of Scientology's inner elite Sea Org for 22 years, confirms that the church has got a hand in picking a woman to be the actor's partner through a program that she was headed, saying it "absolutely happened."

Speaking with The Underground Bunker, a blog run by Tony Ortega that chronicles Scientology, Valerie explains that part of her job was auditioning women to be Tom's girlfriend. The rumors have been circulating for years, with some saying that Katie Holmes, who married the "Jack Reacher" actor in 2006, was chosen in the competition.

Valerie also speaks of Tom's relationship with Scientology's leader David Miscavige. "Tom Cruise worships David Miscavige like a god," Valerie, who detailed her "escape" from the church in the season premiere episode of "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath", reveals. She adds, "They worshiped each other."

Fellow ex-Scientologist Marc Headley, who worked closely with David for 15 years before leaving the church, supports Valerie's statement about Tom and David's relationship, calling it "the most intense, expensive bromance in history."

Valerie goes on saying that Tom and David's close relationship made the latter's wife Shelly Miscavige unhappy. She recalls David "denigrated" his wife in front of executives during a birthday party for Tom which David hosted aboard the church's cruise ship Freewinds.

"Shelly was pissed off all the time," Valerie says. "Dave was raging at everyone day after day ... and he had nothing for Shelly. So she was crying every night." Shelly has not made any public appearances since 2007.

As usual, the church is quick to debunk stories shared by its former members. "The Church of Scientology stated that the story is utterly false. Valerie Haney is outright lying and making up stories, as part of her employment for Leah Remini," a representative of the church tells Fox News in a statement responding to Valerie's allegations.