Katie Holmes' worrying 'shift' during marriage to Tom Cruise: 'So shocked'

Katie Holmes "looked like a deer in headlights" during her marriage to Tom Cruise, according to new claims from Jenny McCarthy.

Jenny, who became close to the former couple when she was dating Jim Carrey in the mid-2000s, discussed their ill-fated union on the latest episode of her eponymous podcast, revealing that she was concerned about a "shift" in Katie after her 2006 wedding.

"At that time, she looked like a deer in headlights. This was well into the marriage. During the wedding part, she still seemed like Katie, but into the marriage it seemed there was a shift in her," she said.

The Scary Movie 3 actress also made allegations about the Scientology element of the wedding leaving some guests "shocked". 

"The juxtaposition between Katie at this time and Tom’s world were very polar opposite," she shared.

While Katie’s maid of honour delivered a "very Midwest" speech about their school days together, Cruise chose Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige as his best man.

Jenny recalled: "[The speech] was 30 minutes long, about how Tom and Katie are now going to be the most important couple in the world. I’m sitting next to Will Smith, JLo, Jim, the crème de la crème.

"I was so shocked and I was looking around at everyone’s faces and I could just see all of Katie’s family going, 'What? What?' Even Katie, I was watching Katie’s face, just like trying to smile her way through it."

HELLO! has contacted Tom and Katie's representatives for comment.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' high-profile wedding

Tom and Katie first started dating in 2005, and just seven weeks after they first met, the couple were engaged. 

"He's the man of my dreams... I'm just so happy, and I love celebrating our happiness. I can't keep it in," the actress effused during a W magazine interview following their Paris engagement.

Tom and Katie made headlines worldwide when they wed in a Scientology ceremony in November 2006, which took place at the 15th-century Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy.

The lavish wedding came seven months after the birth of their daughter, Suri Cruise, who was a guest of honour at their nuptials.

Their marriage lasted almost six years and their divorce was finalized in August 2012.

Split that left Tom Cruise 'deeply saddened'

At the time of their split, Katie's lawyer, Johnathan Wolfe, told People: "Katie's primary concern remains, as it always has been, her daughter's best interest."

The Dawson's Creek alum cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce filing, which reportedly left Tom – who was away filming Oblivion in Iceland at the time – blindsided.

Tom's spokesperson issued a statement at the time, hinting that the decision came as a surprise: "Kate has filed for divorce and Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children."

A settlement was reached in just 11 days thanks to Katie's swift legal action and the high stakes involving Tom’s public image.

Despite it being widely reported that Tom has little to no part in his daughter's life, according to divorce documents, he agreed to pay his ex-wife $400,000 a year in child support until Suri turned 18.

Suri, now 20, is currently a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she is studying Musical Theater.

Earlier this year, it was reported that Suri had officially dropped her famous surname and is now legally known as Suri Noelle, according to public records.