Fridae

Actor and heartthrob Tom Cruise won a US$10 million defamation judgment against a gay porn actor who allegedly told the French magazine Actustar that he had an affair with the actor, the star's lawyers said on Wednesday.

"Tom is very, very pleased," his attorney Ricardo Cestero said following the judgment in Los Angeles Superior Court that provided the latest twist in a story that made headlines worldwide.

According to a Reuters news report, a Los Angeles judge entered the default judgment in late December after defendant Chad Slater, whose stage name was Kyle Bradford, admitted that his story was false and said he would not actively defend himself against the lawsuit.

The star had sued Slater for US$100 million in damages in 2001 after Slater told the French magazine that his gay love affair with Cruise led to the actor's August 2001 divorce from actress Nicole Kidman.

Cruise's attorney Ricardo Cestero said Cruise has not decided whether to press Slater to pay the latest judgment. "We don't have any idea whether he'll ever have means to pay, but we've obtained the judgment, which, hopefully, will make it clear that demeaning Mr Cruise will not be a successful endeavour."

Cruise plans to donate to charity any money he receives from the judgment, Cestero added.

In 2001, Cruise filed a separate US$100 million defamation suit against Michael Davis, who allegedly sent e-mails to a dozen media outlets claiming he had a videotape of the actor engaged in a gay act. That suit was dropped when Davis admitted his claim was untrue.

Cestero said Cruise intends to file defamation actions against anyone who spreads false rumours about him.

"He is very concerned and very protective about his personal reputation, "Cestero told Reuters. "To the extent that people are writing stories that defame him, he is going to go after them."

So there, don't say we didn't warn you about claiming that you went to bed with Mr Cruise.