Meet Tom Cruise’s agent and rumoured love interest Maha Dakhil, who’s also worked with Madonna and Anne Hathaway. Photos: TNS; AFP
Fans can’t get enough of Tom Cruise’s rumoured romance with Hollywood talent agent Maha Dakhil – but who is she, and what did she write about Israel-Palestine that saw her resign from the CAA?
Fans can’t get enough of Tom Cruise’s rumoured romance with Hollywood talent agent Maha Dakhil.
The pair were spotted getting close over a meal at Gaia London last Wednesday, as reported by the Daily Mail. Cruise and Dakhil were apparently “getting very touchy feely with one another and looked extremely cosy,” one eyewitness told the British tabloid. As they left the Greek restaurant, he “tenderly” put his hand on her elbow and helped her back into their black, chauffeur-driven Mercedes. Before this outing, the Top Gun: Maverick actor was also seen dropping her off at celebrity hotspot Chiltern Firehouse.
Here’s what we know about Cruise’s supposed new fling, Maha Dakhil – and her controversies.
Where is Maha Dakhil from?
Maha Dakhil was born in Libya and raised in Encino, California, according to the LAist. She is the daughter of immigrants from Libya, and was raised with two sisters and a younger brother, according to Navigating Beyond Barriers.
What does Maha Dakhil do for work?
Dakhil has represented a number of high-profile clients over the years in addition to Cruise, including Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Madonna, Sam Mendes, Olivia Wilde and Anne Hathaway. She previously worked on the internal board of the CAA (Creative Artists Agency).
Dakhil was also one of the co-founders of Time’s Up, an initiative created to “address systemic inequality and injustice in the workplace” in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations. “This has been an extreme awakening,” she previously shared in an interview with the LAist’s The Frame. “There’s nothing we are going to do to change people who were criminals, but there’s so much we can do about all of us.” During her interview, she added, “This is going to sound crazy, but I believe most people in Hollywood are actually pretty good and decent people.”
Why did Maha Dakhil get caught in controversy?
In October 2023, Dakhil resigned from CAA’s internal board after making controversial comments on social media regarding Israel, per Variety. Dakhil received backlash after reposting a statement from an account labelled Free Palestine, seemingly referring to Israel’s response to the October 7 terror attack from Hamas. The post read: “You’re currently learning who supports genocide.” Dakhil added in her own caption, writing, “That’s the line for me.” She posted another photo captioned, “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.” Both posts have since been deleted.
“I made a mistake with a repost in my Instagram Story, which used hurtful language. Like so many of us, I have been reeling with heartbreak. I pride myself on being on the side of humanity and peace,” Dakhil explained to Variety in a statement. “I’m so grateful to Jewish friends and colleagues who pointed out the implications and further educated me. I immediately took the repost down. I’m sorry for the pain I have caused.”
Why do people think Maha Dakhil is dating Tom Cruise?
Cruise, 62, and Dakhil, 49, first garnered attention for their rumoured romance in September after arriving in London together on his helicopter. They’ve since been spotted together on numerous occasions.
Who else has Tom Cruise dated?
Tom Cruise has dated numerous high-profile women over the years, and been married to three of them. Photo: AFP
Cruise has dated many famous women over the years including Cher, Penélope Cruz, Sofía Vergara and Hayley Atwell. He’s also been married three times, to Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes.
Tom Cruise and Victoria Canal at Glastonbury in June. Photo: @victoriacanal/Instagram
In August he was linked to Spanish singer Victoria Canal, though she has since dismissed the rumours as “literally bonkers”.
