Scarlett Johansson has vigorously denied a new claim from a former Scientologist that she once ‘auditioned’ to date Tom Cruise after his split from Nicole Kidman.

Brendan Tighe, a former members of the often-controversial Scientology religion, was speaking on NBC’s ‘Megyn Kelly Today’ and said that while he was a member of Cruise’s security unit he came across evidence that a string of actresses who had effectively auditioned to be in a relationship with the Mission: Impossible star after he divorced Kidman in 2001.

Tighe explained that he only saw this evidence because it was accidentally sent to his printer, but that the Lost In Translation actress’s name was the only one he actually recognised.

Scarlett JohanssonScarlett Johansson has denied 'auditioning' to be Tom Cruise's girlfriend

“The very idea of any person auditioning to be in a relationship is so demeaning. I refuse for anyone to spread the idea that I lack the integrity to choose my own relationships. Only a man, aka Brendan Tighe, would come up with a crazy story like that,” Johansson told The Hollywood Reporter later the same day.

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Karin Pouw, from the Church of Scientology International, also denied Tighe’s claims, telling Megyn Kelly’s show: “Brendan Tighe was a Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization security guard/night watchman from 2002 to 2009. The 'access' he boasts of having was largely limited to viewing security cameras from a guard booth. He was removed from that position for dereliction of duty.”

Those of you with long memories will recall that this isn’t the first time that rumours of a sinister ‘auditioning process’ for romance with Cruise have surfaced.

A Vanity Fair feature from 2012 claimed that female members of the Church of Scientology underwent an audition process to see if they were a suitable match for Cruise. Actress Nazanin Boniadi was reportedly selected, and was in a short-lived relationship with Cruise from November 2004 to January 2005.

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