Cruise will go with pro

Bloch to replace star's sister

By CHRIS GARDNER

Cruise

Tom Cruise has hired veteran publicist and Rogers and Cowan co-chairman Paul Bloch to handle his publicity activities, including those for Cruise-Wagner Prods.

Move replaces Cruise's sister, Lee Anne DeVette, who had been serving as his publicist since March '04, when he parted ways with longtime rep, PMK/HBH's Pat Kingsley.

DeVette has been a professional associate of Cruise's for years, working alongside the actor at his production company Cruise-Wagner Prods. Before taking the lead as his publicist last year, she focused on the marketing and publicity of his films. With the current change, she will completely step away from CWP activities and segue to job in which she will oversee the operations and planned expansion of Cruise's charitable work.

"Lee Anne has done a wonderful job on behalf of myself and Cruise-Wagner Prods. over the last few years," Cruise said in a statement. "But she has always expressed a desire to oversee and expand the day-to-day activities of my charitable endeavors. With our current plans to increase those endeavors, and Cruise-Wagner's increased production slate of film and television projects, this seemed the appropriate time to make that segue and bring Rogers and Cowan on board to handle mine and the company's entertainment-related publicity needs."

DeVette said: "I know how important Tom's charitable goals are to him, and I look forward to assisting in raising the profile of the good works that he does on behalf of children's health issues, mentoring, literacy and other social reforms, as well as the general betterment of the human condition."

Cruise, his comments and his behavior have recently been battered by the media.

With Bloch, Cruise joins a roster that includes John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Billy Bob Thornton, Geena Davis, Anthony Hopkins, Jerry Bruckheimer, Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley, Steve Bing, Chris Tucker, Michael Keaton and David and Victoria Beckham.