Cruise and Holmes reach settlement

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have reached a settlement in their divorce, her lawyer said.

"The case has been settled and the agreement has been signed," Jonathan Wolfe said in a statement. Mr Wolfe's office would not elaborate on the agreement.

"We are thrilled for Katie and her family and are excited to watch as she embarks on the next chapter of her life," the statement said.

"We thank Tom's counsel for their professionalism and diligence that helped bring about this speedy resolution."

Katie filed for divorce less than two weeks ago, putting an end to the romance that began in 2005. The couple have a six-year-old daughter, Suri.

Earlier, the couple asked for privacy.

"We are committed to working together as parents to accomplish what is in our daughter Suri's best interests. We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other's commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other's roles as parents," read the statement from their representatives.

The Hollywood split has played out in the celebrity news media, where Katie has been portrayed with overwhelming sympathy over a narrative of a locked-away wife breaking free from the servitude of a strange, corrupting marriage.

US Weekly has reported that the couple "fought viciously" over Scientology parenting. The Daily News has trumpeted Katie entering "a new phase". A TMZ headline blared "Tom treated me like a robot."

That may also be the most convenient view of a relationship that even at its start spawned "Free Katie!" T-shirts.