Tom Cruise continues to show his unique way of expressing appreciation, despite being estranged from his youngest daughter, Suri.
The Hollywood icon, 61, has maintained a touching tradition with actress Dakota Fanning, gifting her a pair of shoes every year for her birthday.
During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Dakota, now 30, opened up about the thoughtful annual presents from her former co-star.
"We've known you since you were so little, so I feel like you've kinda grown up in front of us," Kelly, 42, remarked, highlighting Dakota's journey from a child actor to a Hollywood star.
Kelly went on to reveal the fascinating tidbit about Tom's birthday tradition. "I found this amazing, every year on your birthday, Tom Cruise still sends you a present," she said.
Dakota and Tom shared the screen in Steven Spielberg's 2005 sci-fi thriller War of the Worlds. Tom played Ray Ferrier, and Dakota starred as his daughter, Rachel. Reflecting on their time together, Dakota recounted her 11th birthday on set, when Tom gifted her her first cellphone, a Motorola Razr.
"I wanted a Razr so bad, and I must have been talking about it a lot because that's what he got me," Dakota reminisced. "Such a great memory."
Curious about the latest gift, Kelly asked, "What did he send you this year?" "He always sends me the same thing every year," Dakota responded, smiling.
"After the cellphone, I started to love shoes when I was little, and I began to fit into really small adult shoes during the War of the Worlds press tour. From that birthday on, he always sends me shoes."
Kelly marveled at the collection Dakota must have amassed over the years. "You must have a massive shoe collection brought to you by Tom Cruise."
Dakota’s confession about the sweet tradition came shortly after her milestone birthday and Suri Cruise’s 18th birthday on April 18. Unlike Dakota’s joyful relationship with Tom, it is believed that Tom is estranged from Suri.
Following his divorce from Katie Holmes in 2012, Katie was granted full custody of their daughter.
As part of their settlement, Tom agreed to pay $400,000 per year in child support, an arrangement which expired when Suri turned 18. Over the past 12 years, Tom’s contributions have totaled roughly $33,000 a month.
Katie did not seek spousal support in their divorce, and Tom also covers Suri’s insurance bills and contributes to her college tuition. Suri is expected to leave the New York home she shares with Katie this fall when she begins college.
Katie, 44, has always cherished motherhood, often speaking about her love for her daughter in interviews.
"Motherhood means everything to me," she said in a 2014 interview with People. "I'm learning every day, and I have been since the minute I became a mom."
She has also shared insights into Suri’s personality. "I love her so much. My biggest goal has always been to nurture her individuality. To make sure she is 100 percent herself, strong, confident, and able," Katie told InStyle.