Tom Cruise has opened up about his 'weirdest' account of his relationship with his Mission Impossible co-stars.
In an intimate revelation, director Christopher McQuarrie, who has often collaborated with Tom, 61, on the Mission: Impossible series, debunked a long-standing myth about the celebrated actor.
According to Tom, the strangest tale he'd ever heard about himself was that his co-stars were allegedly forbidden from making eye contact with him.
Christopher, together with the cast of the upcoming Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, shared with The Times of London that such a rumor is simply an unfounded myth.
In stark contrast to this narrative, Simon Pegg, a regular face in the action franchise since Mission: Impossible III in 2006, attested to Tom's congenial and fun-loving nature.
Simon narrated instances where Tom, far from being aloof, would take his co-stars on thrilling go-karting and zip-lining adventures during their downtime from shooting Dead Reckoning Part One.
"I've been able to hack my way through all the bizarre mythology that surrounds him," Simon admitted, expressing his admiration for Cruise. "On one side, he's Tom Cruise — this enigmatic film star everyone wants to know about. And on the other, he's just a guy. I like being normal with him."
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Despite enjoying a friendly relationship with Tom, Simon as he once mentioned on BBC's Desert Island Discs radio show, refrains from broaching personal matters, specifically Tom’s involvement with Scientology. Instead, he prefers discussing the inherent nuances of Tom’s fame.
"We joke about it," Simon revealed. "I always make fun of him for the things that he can access. We were filming in South Africa recently, and he decided he wanted to swim with sharks.
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“He flew us in a helicopter to the coast, and we went diving with sharks. At the end of the day, we said, 'That was a real Tom Cruise kind of day.' He kind of appreciates the ridiculousness of it sometimes."
further explained that his rapport with Cruise is uncomplicated and warm, with an emphasis on appreciating the person behind the celebrity facade.
"I think you realize, when you meet the person rather than the thicket of mythology that's built up around them, it's a different experience."
Simon added: "He loves the fame, and he really relishes it; it's all he knows. It energizes him and spurs him on.
“I don't think I would appreciate that particularly. I'd find it very stressful and overwhelming, and it would make me want to retreat. I'm happy where I am."