Tom Cruise’s ‘Nervous’ Moment Revealed: Simon Pegg Recalls the One Stunt That Got to Him!
Tom Cruise’s ‘Nervous’ Moment Revealed: Simon Pegg Recalls the One Stunt That Got to Him!
Simon Pegg, who has played the lovable and often wide-eyed Benji Dunn in the Mission: Impossible franchise since 2006, is no stranger to Tom Cruise’s daredevil stunts. As the actor gears up for what could be the final installment of the beloved series, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (set to release on May 23), Pegg opens up about the jaw-dropping stunts Cruise has performed over the years — and the moments that left him both in awe and, at times, nervous.
A Life on the Line for the Audience
Cruise, known for pushing the limits with every Mission: Impossible film, has made a name for himself by performing some of the most death-defying stunts in Hollywood history. And according to Pegg, the actor isn’t just performing for the thrill of it, but for the audience, willing to risk his life for their entertainment.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(748x123:750x125):format(webp)/tom-cruise-2-mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-1-041725-9cc18acabd0e44c6a6ed356871d29cf9.jpg)
“I’ve said, ‘You’re absolutely nuts’ many times to him,” Pegg shares with People in their special Mission: Impossible edition. “But he just cares that much about it.” With each film, Cruise, 62, has continually raised the stakes, from his now-iconic high-flying stunts to his heart-stopping motorcycle jumps. As Pegg says, having been part of the franchise since Mission: Impossible III, he’s seen it all firsthand, and it’s never less than impressive.
Hanging Off the Burj Khalifa: A ‘S— Eating Grin’ Moment
One stunt that left Pegg in awe was the iconic scene in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), where Cruise scales the outside of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s tallest building. For Pegg, watching Cruise literally hang off the side of the towering skyscraper wasn’t just terrifying — it was oddly exhilarating. “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 recalls.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(824x354:826x356):format(webp)/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-simon-pegg-tom-cruise-050225-99781d38772f4ca7bdd04450fd993806.jpg)
For Pegg, the image of Cruise enjoying the thrill of the stunt with such abandon was both surreal and a bit terrifying, as the actor was risking his life for the audience’s benefit, and there he was, seemingly loving every second of it.
The Heart-Stopping Motorcycle Off-a-Cliff Stunt
While many of Cruise’s stunts have left fans gasping, Pegg cites the motorcycle-off-a-cliff sequence in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) as one of his favorites. Describing the atmosphere on set, Pegg recalls how the cast and crew watched in suspense as Cruise disappeared off the edge of the cliff, only to wait with bated breath for the sound of his parachute opening.
“It was nail-biting,” Pegg says. “Because we’d literally see him just disappear, and then we’d have to wait to hear ‘good canopy’ on the radio.” It was a breath-holding moment for everyone involved — a reminder of just how dangerous and daring Cruise’s stunts truly are.
A Moment of Nervousness: The Plane Stunt in Rogue Nation
Despite Cruise’s reputation for fearlessness, Pegg recalls one stunt in particular that made the actor visibly nervous: the opening scene in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), where Cruise clings to the outside of a military plane as it takes off. The sequence, which exposed Cruise to potentially dangerous flying debris, was so intense that it made even the veteran actor question his decisions.
“It was the first time I’d seen him nervous,” Pegg says. “There were a lot of variables involved in that stunt… a lot of things that could have gone wrong.” For Pegg, who is usually in awe of Cruise’s fearless nature, witnessing the tension in that moment was a stark contrast to the usual high-octane confidence Cruise exudes.
Cruise himself admits that when the plane taxied down the runway, he thought, “Oh, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.” Yet, once the scene was shot and they reviewed the footage, he was thrilled with how it turned out, especially in how it added to the story. “When we looked at the shot, I was like, ‘Oh, it really works in the story.’” His late mother, however, had a different reaction after seeing the footage. “I’m so glad you didn’t fill me in on that one beforehand,” she told him.
Benji’s Role: The Audience’s Voice
Throughout these extraordinary stunts, Pegg’s character, Benji, has often been the audience’s stand-in — the one who watches in awe, sometimes terrified, and marvels at Ethan Hunt’s bravery. “It’s fun to play the guy who is almost like a member of the audience,” Pegg says. “To be the one that’s kind of going, ‘This is crazy.’” Benji’s reactions are often our own, reflecting the incredulity we all feel watching Cruise defy death for the sake of cinematic spectacle.
The Final Reckoning
As Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning approaches, it’s clear that Tom Cruise’s commitment to stunts remains as strong as ever. Whether it’s scaling a skyscraper, leaping off a cliff, or hanging onto a plane mid-flight, Cruise continues to risk it all for the sake of the audience. As for Simon Pegg, he’s been by his side for most of it, watching in awe and offering fans an insider’s view of the action-packed world of Mission: Impossible.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 23, 2025, promising yet another round of breathtaking stunts, jaw-dropping moments, and a tribute to one of the most thrilling cinematic franchises ever made.
