Tom Cruise is, without a doubt, one of the most famous actors working in Hollywood today. He has been an actor for over 40 years and has amassed a huge following thanks to his professionalism and skill.
The actor has been hugely successful but has also made headlines for the wrong reasons. Thandie Newton, his co-star in Mission: Impossible 2, has spoken out about how unpleasant it was to work with Cruise.
Recounting the Unpleasant Incident From MI:2
Thandie Newton portrayed Nyah Nordoff-Hall in Mission: Impossible 2, Tom Cruise’s love interest in the film. The actress admitted to being intimidated by Tom Cruise on set during an interview with Vulture in 2020. Newton described Cruise as a “dominant individual” who genuinely wants to be nice but struggles under the stress of his job.
“He was a very dominant individual. He tries super hard 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.”
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Thandie Newton recalled that she and Cruise failed to film a scene on a balcony because it pushed her “into a place of terror and insecurity.” She further expressed that “he wasn’t horrible” but rather just “really stressed.”
“I can’t think of anything less revealing. It pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity. It was a real shame, and bless him because he was trying his damnedest. He wasn’t horrible – he was really stressed.”
The actress went on to say that the experience of filming the balcony scene was so terrifying that she immediately called her friend, director Jonathan Demme. While working with Cruise, Newton experienced significant anxiety and insecurity.
The Incident’s Impact on Thandie Newton
The conversation about the treatment of women in Hollywood was sparked by Thandie Newton’s comments about working with Tom Cruise. The actress received much acclaim for opening a dialogue about women’s challenges in the entertainment industry.
Newton told The Telegraph that after the incident with Cruise, she realized that men had mistreated her throughout her career. She proudly proclaimed that her voice would help “stop them getting s*xually abused.”
“So many people in our business, they don’t want to be the ones to say something that’s a bum out because then they become associated with a bum out and nobody wants to read about so-and-so because they’re always blabbering on about a bum out. But one person will read this and it will stop them getting s*xually abused by a director. That’s the person I’m interested in.'”
Tom Cruise’s presence on the set of Mission: Impossible 2 was crucial due to his prominence as a male movie star. Whether intentional or not, his actions toward Newton shook her confidence and made her feel unsafe; the incident had a long-lasting effect on her professional life.
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It’s unfortunate that her insecurities prevented her from giving her best performance while collaborating with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. However, this incident should not limit Tom Cruise’s career and character. It’s easy to overlook that he’s also donated millions of dollars to various charities and done incredible work for them.
Source: Vulture
