Alex Gibney, the director of the 2015 Scientology documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, expressed his surprise that Tom Cruise, a high-profile member of the Church of Scientology, has not faced any backlash for his association with the controversial religion.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Gibney was asked about Cruise's continued status as the "King of Hollywood" and his apparent lack of accountability for his involvement in Scientology since Going Clear was released. The director agreed, saying he was surprised that Cruise had not experienced any repercussions.

Gibney noted that Cruise had taken a step back from being an ambassador for Scientology compared to when he was filming the 2005 blockbuster War of the Worlds, which had a Scientology tent on set. However, he emphasized that being a star remains vital to Cruise.

Earlier this year, comedy mogul Judd Apatow took a jab at Cruise's connection to Scientology during the Directors Guild of America Awards, joking that every time Cruise performed a new stunt, it felt like an advertisement for the religion. Apatow quipped that there was nothing about jumping off a cliff in religious texts like the Torah.

In January, at the Golden Globes, host Jerrod Carmichael also made light of Cruise's affiliation with the Church of Scientology, referring to Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who has not been seen in public since 2007. Carmichael joked about exchanging the three Golden Globe awards Cruise returned for Shelly's safe return.

The Church of Scientology has denied that Shelly Miscavige is missing. In 2021, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers had made contact with her in 2014, leading to the closure of the missing person investigation.

Going Clear, which the Church of Scientology denounced upon its release, made several shocking claims about the organization, including allegations of abuse against members and misconduct among its leadership. Church representatives have denied these allegations.