Tom Cruise is no stranger to stunt performance, more often than not opting for taking even the most dangerous challenges head-on, instead of using doubles. Simon Pegg, however, isn’t quite as keen on watching a fellow actor potentially injure himself.
For better or for worse, working with Cruise in the Mission: Impossible franchise implies having to witness him hanging off of trains and jumping off cliffs while riding a motorcycle. Despite how cool it may be to watch it all live, it understandably also comes with a certain amount of anxiety, as Pegg is forced to stand by and hold his breath waiting for confirmation that Cruise is okay.
Speaking with Deadline, the actor opened up about his conflicting emotions during a particular moment during filming for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One:
“I have a video on my phone of the motorcycle stunt, of me from the side. I was stood with Tarzan, Pom and Haley, and I’ve got the whole thing, and I zoom in, and he goes off, and he just disappears. You hear us just go silent as we’re waiting to hear that he’s alive, and then we all just laugh like children, like giddy, ridiculous, insane children, because the relief, I cannot tell you, the relief was amazing.”
While Pegg is constantly worried for Cruise’s life due to his stunt performances, he also makes sure to point out his friend’s commitment to staying safe while working, defending him from those claiming Cruise has to be crazy to do what he does. Whether Pegg likes it or not, it’s unlikely that Cruise will stop doing stunt work anytime soon, so we might as well keep enjoying it.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One lands in movie theaters on July 12, 2023.