ADAM SANDLER - STARS DEFEND 'GREAT DAD' CRUISE

Hollywood stars ADAM SANDLER, DUSTIN HOFFMAN and BEN STILLER have spoken out in support of fellow actor TOM CRUISE - branding the recent backlash against the star as "sickening". The Mission: Impossible actor has received a barrage of bad press after a pro-Scientology video featuring Cruise was leaked on the Internet. Meanwhile, a controversial book by celebrity biographer Andrew Morton has been published in the U.S. - which makes scathing accusations about Cruise's personal life. Happy Gilmore comedian Sandler says, "To see anyone's private life invaded and mocked like this is sickening. "It's especially gross when it happens to a guy like Cruise, who's a great dad, a great husband and a great friend." Meanwhile, legendary actor Hoffman - who starred opposite Cruise in Oscar-winning movie Rain Man - believes the 45-year-old has every right to express opinions about his religion. He says, "Tom Cruise is an American and has the right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion." A host of stars have come forward to defend their peer in U.S. entertainment magazine People, including former couple Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Jim Carrey and Ben Stiller. Something About Mary actor Stiller has slammed rumours suggesting Cruise isn't the biological father of daughter Suri. He says, "Imagine having a baby and people talking about it the way they did. People lose sight of the fact that Tom Cruise is actually a person. I feel for him."