Running With Tom Cruise Is Hollywood’s Rarest Honor—Only Two Ever Made the Cut
Running With Tom Cruise Is Hollywood’s Rarest Honor—Only Two Ever Made the Cut
For decades, Tom Cruise has become synonymous with one unmistakable cinematic trademark: the run. Whether sprinting through crowded streets, leaping across rooftops, or powering past iconic landmarks, Cruise’s on-screen dash has evolved into a cultural meme—so much so that it’s hard to imagine a Tom Cruise film without at least one heart-pounding running sequence.
This obsession is no accident. Cruise reportedly refuses to consider scripts that don’t include a scene where he can unleash his trademark speed, often ensuring one is added if it’s missing. It’s become his signature move, a peculiar but beloved hallmark that audiences now eagerly anticipate—proof that age is just a number when you’re “Mr. Movie Running Man,” even into your 60s.
But here’s the twist: despite his willingness to run relentlessly, Cruise guards this privilege fiercely. Sharing the frame and pacing alongside Cruise in full sprint is one of Hollywood’s most exclusive honors. In fact, only two actresses have ever been granted the rare chance to run side-by-side with him on screen.
The first was Annabelle Wallis, who boldly requested the opportunity while filming The Mummy. Initially, Cruise’s stance was firm: “Nobody runs onscreen with me.” Yet, he eventually softened, allowing Wallis to join him in the rarefied club—a gesture she describes as a highlight of her career, making her “so happy” to receive such a nod from the legendary star.
Years later, Hayley Atwell was stunned to learn that her debut in the Mission: Impossible franchise with Dead Reckoning would earn her the privilege of running with Cruise. “At one point, they said to us, ‘We really want you to have a sequence where you and Tom run with each other, and you’re going to be handcuffed to him,’” Atwell told Rolling Stone. “And you’ll be in heels. On the streets of Rome.” She was ecstatic: “I was like, ‘I’m running next to Mr. Movie Running Man.’”
However, the dream run didn’t quite materialize as planned. In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Cruise dominated the running scenes solo, including an iconic sprint across London’s Westminster Bridge. Atwell’s anticipated joint run never made the final cut, leaving her admiration for the Cruise run intact, but the exclusivity of sharing the screen unbroken.
So, who will be the next to join Wallis and Atwell in this elite running club? That remains to be seen—and likely depends on Cruise’s mood behind the scenes. After nearly 40 years as Hollywood’s ultimate action star and running man, sharing the sprint remains the rarest of honors—one granted sparingly and treasured by those lucky enough to earn it.
