Tom Cruise's reported romance with a woman 16 years his junior, actress Katie Holmes, has been confirmed by his publicist, ABC reported Friday.

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The 26-year-old Holmes and Cruise, 42, are in Rome where he will receive the lifetime achievement award at the Italian equivalent of the Academy Award ceremony, the David di Donatello Awards.

The relationship news came from Cruise's sister-publicist, Lee Anne DeVette, despite a history of the actor's dodging inquiries on his love life.

His marriages to and subsequent divorces from actresses Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman made headlines. The events leading up to his split last year with Penelope Cruz were breathlessly reported.

Through it all, Cruise has pleaded many times for a moment of peace and has been probably the most aggressive celebrity in suing the press for false reports.