Simon Pegg Says Tom Cruise ‘Literally Risks His Life’ for Fans in ‘Mission: Impossible’ Stunts

May 5, 2025: As the Mission: Impossible franchise races toward its epic conclusion, actor Simon Pegg has opened up about his long-time co-star Tom Cruise and the jaw-dropping dedication Cruise brings to every installment — including risking his life for the sake of entertainment.

Pegg, who joined the franchise in 2006’s Mission: Impossible III, reflected on Cruise’s most dangerous stunts while speaking to People. “Tom literally will risk his life for the audience,” Pegg said. “I’ve said, ‘You’re absolutely nuts’ many times to him. But he just cares that much about it.”

Among the stunts Pegg witnessed was the now-legendary Burj Khalifa climb in 2011’s Ghost Protocol. “Just leaning out of the window and seeing Tom hanging there, smiling — this big s— eating grin on his face — like, ‘I’m having the best time,’” Pegg recalled.

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He also described the unforgettable moment in Rogue Nation (2015), where Cruise clings to the outside of a military plane during takeoff. “That was the first time I’d seen him nervous. There were a lot of variables… a lot of things that could’ve gone wrong,” said Pegg, praising the film’s elite stunt team and Cruise’s relentless preparation.

Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt in the upcoming eighth and likely final installment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which hits theaters on May 23. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film continues the story from Dead Reckoning, as Hunt battles to stop a powerful AI program known as The Entity from falling into the wrong hands.

Returning alongside Cruise are franchise regulars Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, and Pom Klementieff, with newcomers Hannah Waddingham, Nick Offerman, and others joining the high-stakes mission.