Tom Cruise ‘Never Gave Up’ on Love Before Elsina Khayrova Romance: ‘He’s Thrilled’
He barely let her out of his arms. Tom Cruise “danced the night away” with Russian model and socialite Elsina Khayrova at a private party near Grosvenor Square in London’s posh Mayfair neighborhood on December 2, says a witness. “They were inseparable and left together in the early morning hours. He seemed to be completely besotted by her.”
It’s about time he put himself out there again. “Tom hasn’t seriously dated anyone in more than 11 years,” a source exclusively tells In Touch of the actor, who was shattered by Katie Holmes’ surprise divorce filing in 2012. The famous workaholic had trouble making time for romance, “and he told people he didn’t want to rush into anything. But he never gave up hope that he’d find the right match again. He’s thrilled to have found Elsina — there’s definitely a spring in his step these days!” They’ve been dating for about four months, says the source. Tom — who was spotted at the ultra-exclusive Oswald’s club in Mayfair, where he’s rumored to be a member, on November 29 with Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Henry Cavill — “has been based in England, where Elsina also lives, for the past few years, and they met through mutual friends at a private party,” says the source. The Mission: Impossible star, 61, and the 36-year-old “hit it off, exchanged numbers and started hanging out. Mostly they’d get together under the radar in places like the English countryside or at his members club, where they’d enjoy afternoon tea in a roped-off section. Or he’d rent out a private room at a restaurant just for them.”
Elsina is definitely used to the posh lifestyle. Last year, the Russian politician’s daughter made headlines for her nasty divorce from an oligarch in which they squabbled over her $1.2 million handbag collection. (Her ex, Britain-based Russian diamond trader and art collector Dmitry Tsvetkov, claims to have survived multiple assassination attempts by former associates, and has joked to friends that Tom should play him in a movie!) “Tom doesn’t mind that she went through such a high-profile split — he can certainly relate — and he’s working overtime to impress her. He showers her with jewelry and other expensive gifts,” says the source. “Elsina is also very intellectual and cultured, so he gets her tickets to art shows or the opera.”
The famously charming A-lister didn’t have to work hard to win her over. “Being wooed by the world’s biggest movie star is truly a fairy tale come true,” says the source, adding that Elsina, who is mom to two young children, has already met Tom’s kids Connor and Isabella. “It’s a little surreal that she’s only a few years older than they are, but they just want their dad to be happy.”
He finally is. “He’s been very lonely these past few years. He’s not only gun-shy because of how things ended with Katie,” says an insider, “but also because of all of the attention on his failed marriages to Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman. He doesn’t want to get hurt or be humiliated again.” The few times he has put himself out there since his divorce, adds the source, “there have been some rejections, which bruised his ego even more, so he threw himself into his work.”
As a result, he’s been linked to costars including Hayley Atwell and Vanessa Kirby in past years. “But that was just because he spent so much time with them on-set,” says the source. “What he really needs is a partner who is supportive behind the scenes and can keep up with the pace of his lifestyle.”
Elsina seems to fit the bill perfectly. “She’s very high energy, so she’s there for Tom at the end of a long day and admires his work ethic massively,” says the source. “She’s also 100 percent respectful of his religion, which is important to him. He’s found his dream girl.”
And he’s ready for everyone to know it. Tom, who once had a field of flowers planted for Nicole and famously jumped up and down on a couch on TV while declaring his love for Katie, “doesn’t fall in love often,” says the source, “but when he does, he falls hard.”
Hence the PDA with Elsina. “That was deliberate, to show everyone that he’s done sneaking around,” says the source. “He wants the world to know he’s madly in love, and everyone’s super excited for him. It’s been long overdue.”
