Tom Cruise may be known for his fearless stunts, but according to his longtime stunt coordinator, one daring sequence in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning left him completely drained.
Wade Eastwood, Cruise’s trusted stunt expert, revealed in an interview with The Times of London that filming the scene where Cruise hangs from a moving biplane was more grueling than anyone expected. The high winds, propeller blasts, and flying debris took a serious toll on the actor.
“It beat the hell out of him,” Eastwood said. “The wind hitting him, the blast from the propeller, and particles flying at him made it the hardest workout ever. It was very dangerous and incredibly exhausting.”
He went on to share that Cruise was so fatigued during the shoot that the crew had to carry him off the wing of the plane multiple times. “He was flying all day,” Eastwood added, highlighting the intense physical demands of the sequence.
Despite the exhaustion, Cruise never lost his positive spirit. “Tom doesn’t show fear, he shows competence,” Eastwood explained. “Even when he’s tired, he’s smiling and enjoying every moment. He genuinely loves what he does.”
Cruise and Eastwood first teamed up on the set of Edge of Tomorrow and have worked together on the last four Mission Impossible films. Their strong bond and shared passion for stunts have become a defining part of the franchise’s success.