Journalists have been lambasted by film writer and director Paul Haggis over their failure to quiz actor Tom Cruise about his belief in Scientology.
It has been reported that personal questions are off limits for journalists during interviews in the US to promote Cruise’s latest film in the Mission Impossible franchise.
Haggis, a former member of the Church of Scientology, told the Daily Beast: “His PR people are very smart. But I don’t know how journalists can continue to call themselves journalists if they aren’t brave enough to ask a question. I mean, how big does the elephant in the room have to be before you ask about it?”
On the suggestion that questions about his religions were off limits, Haggis said: “Yeah, because then they can’t get the interview.
“Well, fine, but there are things called journalistic integrity, and there are things more important than promoting a movie sometimes.
“It was so glaringly obvious. There was this huge elephant there, and every journalist agreed not to address it. Why? You’re just a PR person at that point. Shame on you.”
Picture: Tom Cruise attending the premier of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, July 2015 (Shutterstock).
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