Scarlett Johansson Fires Back After Rumor She Auditioned To Be Tom Cruise's Girlfriend

Scarlett Johansson Avengers: Infinity War

The rumor mill is spinning again today. This time, Brendan Tighe, a former Scientologist, claims that Scarlett Johansson auditioned to date Tom Cruise shortly following his split with Nicole Kidman, his second wife following his marriage to Mimi Rogers. Not only does Johansson claim this rumor is false, but she thinks it's "demeaning" to have such a rumor spread about her in the first place. Here's what Scarlett Johansson had to say about it.

The very idea of any person auditioning to be in a relationship is so demeaning. I refuse for anyone to spread the idea that I lack the integrity to choose my own relationships. Only a man aka Brendan Tighe would come up with a crazy story like that.

Scarlett Johansson is pulling back no punches. In the THR report, Johansson responded to the rumor that first spread from Brandon Tighe's Wednesday interview on Megyn Kelly Today, where he claimed that he served as a member of Tom Cruise's Scientology security unit and that he accidentally saw reports of different women who auditioned to be in a relationship with the A-list actor. He reportedly saw these reports when they were sent to his printer by mistake. Tighe claims Scarlett Johansson was the only name on the list that he recalls, because that was the only name he recognized.

Furthermore, Brandon Tighe claims that fellow actress and Scientologist Erika Christensen had to disassociate herself with Scarlett Johansson because the date reportedly didn't go particularly well. Christensen and Johansson previously worked together in 2004's heist comedy The Perfect Score. Recently, Erika Christensen opened up about being a Scientologist on Dax Shepard's podcast Armchair Expert earlier this month. The Parenthood actress also claims to have not watched the controversial documentaries Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief or Leah Remini's Scientology and the Aftermath.

It's also worth noting that the Church of Scientology has also denied Brendan Tighe's claims regarding Tom Cruise. Here's what Karin Pouw, a spokesperson from the Church of Scientology International, had to say about Tighe following his interview with Megyn Kelly earlier this week.

Brendan Tighe was a Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization security guard/night watchman from 2002 to 2009. The 'access' he boasts of having was largely limited to viewing security cameras from a guard booth. He was removed from that position for dereliction of duty.

Scarlett Johansson is currently in a relationship with Colin Jost, the head writer for Saturday Night Live and the host of Weekend Update alongside Michael Che. Tom Cruise will next be seen in Mission: Impossible - Fallout, which storms into theaters on July 27th.

Will Ashton

Will is an entertainment writer based in Pittsburgh, PA. His writing can also be found in The Playlist, Cut Print Film, We Got This Covered, The Young Folks, Slate and other outlets. He also co-hosts the weekly film/TV podcast Cinemaholics with Jon Negroni and he likes to think he's a professional Garfield enthusiast.