1 February 2025
Hayley Atwell believes Tom Cruise is a unique figure in the movie business.
Hayley Atwell has heaped praise on Tom Cruise
The 42-year-old actress has starred alongside Tom, 62, in the money-spinning 'Mission: Impossible' film franchise, and Hayley has admitted to being wowed by the Hollywood icon.
She told the Guardian newspaper: "When I started, I was very aware of the rarefied air around him and how there is no one like him. And there never will be because actors aren’t made like him any more.
"He is a one-man studio and, to me, very kind, very professional. And because of that, I felt I was able to try lots of different things. There was never a risk of failure or being unsafe. Tom really likes people to thrive on set."
Hayley has relished the experience of working alongside Tom, and she's embraced the physical nature of the role, too.
The actress also loved that she's been actively encouraged to improvise during their scenes.
The London-born star - who plays Grace in the hit film franchise - explained: "There’ll be Tom going: ‘From five years old I’ve always wanted to jump from a cliff on a motorbike’, and realising his dream. But with the rest, they’re kind of making it up as they go.
"When I auditioned, they were clear they were looking for someone who likes to work in this way, and that it’s not for everyone. I also had to be prepared for five months of full-time physical training and to be dynamic enough to learn fight sequences, to drift in a car with Tom, to be able to shoot a gun and work with knives."
English (US) ·