May 22, 2025: Tom Cruise is going viral—this time not for a stunt or blockbuster role, but for the way he devours popcorn. The 62-year-old Mission: Impossible star was caught on camera enthusiastically shoveling popcorn into his mouth during a fan screening of Mission: Impossible – Fallout at the BFI IMAX in London on May 11. The clip, posted by user @seifwtf on X, quickly took off, sparking laughter and memes across social media.
In the video, Cruise is seen grinning and munching with gusto, even as a voice announces that he’s being honored with the BFI Fellowship. Undistracted, Cruise keeps going, drawing comparisons online to “an uncle with a handful of peanuts” and prompting one user to joke, “This is how my dad eats popcorn.”
Also Read: Harrison Ford’s Practical Advice Redirects Miley Cyrus’ ‘Something Beautiful’ to Theatres
Cruise finally addressed the viral moment during his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show with co-host Darius Butler on May 21. “I’ve never seen anyone eat popcorn like this,” Butler teased. “Are you actually eating popcorn or are you full of it, TC?”
Cruise, laughing, replied: “Man, I’m eating popcorn. They know when I’m going to these movies that I’m watching, I’m eating popcorn.”
According to Rolling Stone, Cruise revealed at a recent screening of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning that he typically downs two large buckets during a movie. He even encouraged a fan in the audience to refill their empty bucket, saying, “Go get some more.”
Cruise’s popcorn obsession isn’t new. In 2023, while promoting Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, he was seen in a social media clip gleefully snacking from a huge bucket, declaring, “I love my popcorn. Movies. Popcorn.”
With Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hitting theaters on May 23, Cruise’s love for the big screen—and popcorn—is once again center stage.