Actress Thandie Newton has revealed that she was scared of Tom Cruise on the set of 2000’s Mission: Impossible 2. As one of Hollywood’s biggest and most enduring stars, Cruise has earned a reputation for intense dedication when it comes to his roles. This is especially true with the Mission: Impossible franchise.
Few could have guessed at the impact the series would have when it first kicked off, back in 1996. Since then, there have been five sequels (with a sixth and seventh on their way), each of which seems to raise the bar higher for the sort of stunt work that can be achieved in the spy/action genre. A big reason for this sort of success can be attributed to Cruise, who never seems to tire of putting his life on the line for the perfect stunt sequence or scene. After over twenty years of making Mission: Impossible films, Cruise’s efforts have not only elevated his celebrity status to the level of notorious daredevil and perfectionist but also altered the manner in which spy/action films are made. That’s no small feat, and Cruise’s intensity is often cited as infectious by those who have worked with the star. But for some, Cruise can be a little too much.
In a recent interview with Vulture, Westworld star Thandie Newton spoke about her experiences while working with Cruise on 2000’s Mission: Impossible 2. According to Newton, she was “terrified” of Cruise and stated that he was “a very dominant individual.” The two actors apparently couldn’t see eye to eye during the filming of one scene in particular, and Cruise’s efforts to make things run more smoothly only added to Newton’s discomfort and frustration. Responding to the question of why she didn’t return for any further Mission: Impossible installments, Newton said:
“Oh, I was never asked. I was so scared of Tom. He was a very dominant individual. He tries superhard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done. There was one time, we were doing this night scene, there were so many extras with pyrotechnics and you name it, and it was a scene with him and me on the balcony. And I don’t think it was a very well-written scene. I get angry with him. We’re frustrated with each other. And we’re looking out over Spain. It wasn’t going well. And John Woo, bless him, wasn’t there. He was downstairs looking at everything on a monitor. And John had made a decision at the beginning of the movie, unbeknownst certainly to me, that he didn’t speak English. Which I think was very helpful to him, but it was extremely unhelpful to the rest of us. So this scene was happening, and Tom was not happy with what I was doing because I had the shittiest lines.
And he gets so frustrated with having to try and explain that he goes, “Let me just — let’s just go do it. Let’s just rehearse on-camera.” So we rehearsed and they recorded it, and then he goes, “I’ll be you. You be me.” So we filmed the entire scene with me being him — because, believe me, I knew the lines by then — and him playing me. And it was the most unhelpful … I can’t think of anything less revealing. It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity. It was a real shame. And bless him. And I really do mean bless him, because he was trying his damnedest.”
From a critical perspective, Mission: Impossible 2 is one of the least well-received films of the franchise, and it could be the lack of apparent on-set harmony that contributed to this. Newton was still somewhat new to Hollywood at the time, and filming a one on one scene with someone as renowned and respected as Cruise would likely be enough to shake the confidence of most people. However, Newton was no stranger to working with big names at the time, either. The film she’d done prior to Mission: Impossible 2, Beloved, included Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover among its cast. Cruise, it seems, was using his own influence instead of director John Woo taking control.
There are, of course, two sides to this story, and it would be interesting to hear Cruise’s take on it. Still, not all personalities always mesh on film sets. It does seem that even back when Mission: Impossible 2 was released, Cruise had a lot of say with regard to how the films were made. But when the success of the Mission: Impossible franchise is considered, it’s clear that the actor’s intimidating presence and insistence on perfection are some of the biggest reasons for that success.
Source: Vulture
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