Katie Holmes has opened up in a rare interview, stating that she’s aiming to “protect” the daughter she shares with Tom Cruise.

Holmes and Mission Impossible star Cruise experienced a high-profile separation when they parted ways in 2012 after six years of marriage.

After their divorce – the reasons for which became the subject of mass speculation – Holmes retained custody of the couple’s daughter, Suri, and has spoken candidly on the fact that not much has been seen of the now-sixteen-year-old over the years.

Holmes herself became a celebrity at the age of 19 after landing a role in teen drama Dawson’s Creek.

“When we were doing Dawson’s Creek and it was successful, I remember really wanting to grow as an actor and not just do things to capitalize on the moment,” Holmes told Glamour Magazine. “I wanted to learn from other people.”

Yet the Batman Begins star was propelled to new heights when she began dating Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise. After the couple welcomed a daughter, Suri, the media fascination with their family hit fever pitch.

In fact, the scrutiny led to new paparazzi images of Tom and Kate’s young daughter surfacing almost daily. In response, Katie took a step back from the limelight in a bid to protect her little girl’s integrity, embarking on a career hiatus that ended in 2011.

As stated, Tom and Katie went their separate ways in 2012, five years after tying the knot at a ceremony in Italy.

Given the fact that they were one of the most high-profile couples on the planet, that the rumor-mill went into overdrive is perhaps not that strange. Speculation over the cause of their split was rampant, with Holmes believed to be mistrustful of the Church of Scientology.

Indeed, Katie filed for divorce from Tom in New York. Reportedly, this was because it would give her a better chance of gaining sole custody of Suri – the state dislikes giving warring parents joint custody.

When Holmes gained sole custody of Suri, she was able to ensure that the child was kept away from Scientology. Since Tom was reported to not have seen the divorce coming, he wasn’t able to control the narrative, as he was accused of doing during his split with Nicole Kidman.

In any case, Holmes’s desire to protect her child remains just as strong today.

Ahead of the release of her new film, Rare Objects, the 44-year-old said:

“What has been really important for me with my daughter, because she was so visible at a young age, is I really like to protect her. I’m very grateful to be a parent, to be her parent. She’s an incredible person.”

Only last month was it reported that Tom Cruise’s relationship with his daughter is virtually non-existent. According to Page Six, the 60-year-old Top Gun star is no longer a part of Suri’s life and has not seen her in years.

Are you a fan of Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes? Do you think Katie’s done the right thing by shielding Suri from the press?

Let us know your thoughts in the matter in the comments box.