Published by SheKnows on Saturday 8th November 2025
By Maggie Clancy

Tom Cruise may be known for doing his own stunts, but residents in East Grinstead, England say they didn’t sign up to be extras in his latest aerial entrance. The actor flew a helicopter “low” over the West Sussex town on his way to Scientology’s annual Patrons Ball — an arrival so loud and close to residential land that locals said pets panicked, roads backed up, and the whole weekend turned into “chaos.”

One resident described the yearly event as “like the circus coming to town,” complete with thousands of Scientologists descending on a town not built for the traffic, according to The Sun. “Then you’ve got Tom flying over in his chopper and it causes a right old racket,” they added. Another local vented on Facebook: “Tom Cruise flies over our garden, low, in his helicopter, scaring the animals, only to come back again, first a fly past to wave at his mates. Good grief.”

The bash — held every fall at Saint Hill Manor, the Church of Scientology’s UK headquarters — reportedly drew over 7,000 attendees this year. Roads were gridlocked, a minibus collided with another vehicle, and one route was shut down entirely. A spokesperson for the Church pushed back on claims of disorder, saying the event “featured traditional performances, community festivities, and a charity gala benefiting local causes” and that all planning rules for the reported 45,000-square-foot marquee were followed.

Cruise hasn’t publicly commented on the helicopter complaints, but the incident arrives at a moment when nearly everything the actor does is read through the lens of Scientology, from his finances to his dating life. Just days after the gala, he sparked new romance rumors after being photographed with actress Emilia Jones, which immediately followed his split from Ana de Armas.

That breakup came with its own Scientology subplot: De Armas was reportedly “polite but firm” in rejecting Cruise’s attempts to involve her in the church. One insider even said the actor’s religious expectations were a “non-negotiable,” marking the beginning of the end for the couple.

So while Cruise’s helicopter entrance might scan as classic action-star behavior, the people underneath it — and their pets — felt the impact in real time. And they’re not the only ones dealing with that kind of unexpected aerial drama. In Berkshire in September, Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews faced their own neighborhood backlash after a Spitfire flyover and 1:30 a.m. birthday party for Matthews’ 50th reportedly left dogs shaking and windows rattling. One local summed it up bluntly: “They could easily have had a silent disco.” Different guest lists, same takeaway — the louder the party, the quieter the people who never asked to be part of it.