Katie Holmes on Daughter Suri Cruise Going to College, Becoming An Empty Nester

In an interview with Town & Country for its September 2024 issue, on which she graces the cover, the actress shared how she feels about her 18-year-old daughter, Suri Cruise, heading off to college.

"I'm proud of my daughter," said Holmes, who shares Suri with ex-husband Tom Cruise. "Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I'm really proud of her and I'm happy. I remember being this age, this time of beginnings."

"It's exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that," she added.

The 45-year-old got candid about her new life as an empty nester, discussing her new creative pursuits, including dancing, painting, and a book club.

"I love a dance studio because every time you enter, you're starting from the beginning, and that’s a good, meditative way to approach the day," Holmes said, before sharing why she's enjoying painting. "I like abstract and took a class right here."

As for her book club, which meets five times a year, the Dawson's Creek alum said, "You learn so much about each other -- it's a chance for everybody to share what moves them."

Fortunately, Holmes has people to lean on as she adjusts to life without her daughter at home. "The members of my book club are going to get annoyed hearing from me," she said with a laugh. "I'll be like, 'Let's meet once a week.'"

While Holmes didn't reveal where her daughter is attending college, Town & Country noted that Suri's college choice was "inadvertently revealed to the world" after one of her LaGuardia High School classmates shared a TikTok video in June, in which Suri seemingly revealed her plans to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As shown in the clip, which has since been made private, Suri and a few of her LaGuardia High School classmates appear to celebrate the colleges they were accepted into and will be attending in the fall.

"LaG commitment day," read the caption of the TikTok, which appeared to have been posted by one of Suri's pals.

The video -- which was set to the Hannah Montana song "I'll Always Remember You" -- saw Suri and her friends revealing the college they've committed to by showing off their chosen university's t-shirts or sweatshirts. At one point, the clip cut to Suri, who donned a red Carnegie Melon crewneck, and showed it to the camera, and did a funny dance.

During her time at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, which has many celebrity alumni including Jennifer Aniston, Timothee Chalamet, and Nicki Minaj, Suri appeared to have caught a bit of the acting bug from her famous parents as she reportedly starred in the lead role of Morticia Addams in her school’s production of The Addams Family last year.

Meanwhile, as for what her focus will be in college, a source told the Daily Mail that Suri is "leaning towards" studying fashion at Carnegie Melon University, which has one of the highest-ranked design programs in North America.

Town & Country cited the rumors that Suri is pursuing a career in fashion or acting, but Holmes did not confirm or deny the reports.