Katie Holmes is said to be ‘blissfully happy’ since splitting from husband Tom Cruise at the end of June.
Katie is the happiest she’s been since meeting Tom in 2005, and seems like a "new woman," according to a family insider.
“She now gets to see her family more, feels free to concentrate on her career and is no longer living in fear of Scientology,” the family friend told RadarOnline.
“Katie is a new woman, she feels refreshed, free of Tom and doesn’t have a worry in the world."
Katie the singleton
And Katie’s enjoying her new single status, as well.
“When before she used to fret if she was ever single, now she’s happy to be alone. Katie’s enjoying her independence and is working on herself right now.”
Katie is spending more time with her family, “something she couldn’t really do when she was married to Tom.”
Katie and Tom at the Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol premiere in 2011
The friend said Tom would control who Katie saw and often didn’t approve of her seeing her family.
He also took control of what films she would star in.
“Tom also influenced what movies she appeared in, so she was unable to steer her career in the way she wanted to,” the family friend added.
“Now, she has full control over what she wants to do and that freedom is exciting for her.”
Apparently Scientology was also a “huge fear” for Katie, who was raised a devout Catholic and she “never committed herself to it fully.”
Relief
Katie with daughter Suri
The insider said: “It was a relief for her to be finally rid of Tom, but she was filled with some guilt over the way she did it.
“When she first met Tom, he whisked her off her feet and she was head over heels in love with him. But soon his controlling nature took all the fun out of their relationship.”
Katie,33, filed for divorce from Tom, 50, 29 June after five years of marriage. They signed a divorce settlement just two weeks later, much to everyone’s surprise, with Katie getting full custody of daughter Suri, 6.