Tom Cruise’s Unexpected ‘Nervous’ Breakdown Exposed: Simon Pegg Reveals the One Jaw-Dropping Stunt That Made the Hollywood Icon Truly Anxious!
Tom Cruise’s daredevil stunts have become the stuff of Hollywood legend, pushing the limits of what’s possible on screen and leaving audiences breathless. But even for longtime Mission: Impossible co-star Simon Pegg, who has shared the franchise journey since 2006 as tech wizard Benji Dunn, some of Cruise’s feats are both awe-inspiring and nerve-wracking. As the upcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning prepares for release on May 23, Pegg shared candid reflections on the stunts that have marked their high-octane collaboration—and the one moment when even Cruise showed signs of nerves.
A Life on the Line for the Audience
Cruise’s commitment to performing his own stunts is well-documented. From climbing the world’s tallest building to executing death-defying jumps, he pursues authenticity at great personal risk. Pegg, in a People magazine feature tied to the franchise, summed it up: “I’ve said, ‘You’re absolutely nuts’ many times to him. But he just cares that much about it.” Cruise, now 62, continually ups the ante with each film, turning his stunts into signature spectacles.
Hanging Off the Burj Khalifa: A ‘S— Eating Grin’ Moment
One stunt that left Pegg both terrified and exhilarated was Cruise’s climb on the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011). “I remember just leaning out of the window and seeing Tom sort of hanging there, smiling, this big s— eating grin on his face, like, ‘I’m having the best time,’” Pegg recalled. The image of Cruise embracing the danger with such abandon highlighted his fearless dedication—while simultaneously rattling those watching him risk it all.
The Heart-Stopping Motorcycle Cliff Jump
Pegg also singled out the adrenaline-fueled motorcycle-off-a-cliff stunt from Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) as one of his favorites. Describing the tense atmosphere on set, Pegg said, “It was nail-biting. Because we’d literally see him just disappear, and then we’d have to wait to hear ‘good canopy’ on the radio.” That wait for Cruise’s parachute to deploy was a breath-holding moment for the entire crew, underscoring the genuine peril behind the cinematic magic.
The One Moment Cruise Was ‘Nervous’: The Plane Stunt in Rogue Nation
Despite Cruise’s near-superhuman fearlessness, Pegg recalls one stunt that visibly shook him—the opening sequence of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), where Cruise clings to the exterior of a military plane during takeoff. The danger posed by flying debris and intense wind made even the seasoned star question the stunt’s risks.
“It was the first time I’d seen him nervous,” Pegg shared. “There were a lot of variables involved in that stunt… a lot of things that could have gone wrong.” Cruise himself admitted that as the plane taxied, he thought, “Oh, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.” But the final footage left him thrilled: “When we looked at the shot, I was like, ‘Oh, it really works in the story.’” His late mother, however, expressed relief she hadn’t known about the stunt beforehand.
Benji Dunn: The Audience’s Surrogate
Throughout these pulse-pounding moments, Pegg’s character Benji often serves as the audience’s voice—amazed, terrified, and marveling at Ethan Hunt’s exploits. “It’s fun to play the guy who is almost like a member of the audience,” Pegg said. “To be the one that’s kind of going, ‘This is crazy.’” His reactions mirror the awe and disbelief fans feel watching Cruise defy death for cinematic thrills.
The Final Reckoning Approaches
As Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning nears release, it’s clear that Tom Cruise’s dedication to groundbreaking stunts remains unwavering. From towering skyscrapers to daring cliff jumps and airborne peril, Cruise continues to risk everything for the immersive spectacle audiences expect. And for Simon Pegg, having witnessed it all, the mix of admiration and nervousness is part of the extraordinary journey that has defined one of Hollywood’s most enduring franchises.
