Movies
Thandie Newton’s “Nightmare” on the Set of Mission: Impossible 2
The renowned actress reflects on her time on set with the Hollywood superstar: “Tom was a very dominant person.”
Thandie Newton, the celebrated British actress known for her roles in films like ‘The Chronicles of Riddick’, ‘Crash’, and ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’, as well as her recent work in series like ‘Westworld’, looked back a few years ago on her most memorable projects in film and television, marking nearly three decades in the industry. Among her most peculiar and controversial experiences was working alongside Tom Cruise in ‘Mission: Impossible 2′, the second installment of the blockbuster action and espionage saga led by one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Newton played Nyah, Ethan Hunt’s love interest and a skilled thief. Apparently, working with Cruise was nothing short of a “nightmare.”
Thandie Newton’s “Nightmare” on the Set of ‘Mission: Impossible 2′
“I was very afraid of Tom. He was a very dominant person,” Newton revealed in a 2020 interview with Vulture (via IndieWire). “He tries incredibly hard to be a nice person. But the pressure... He takes on a lot of responsibility. And I think he feels like he’s the only one who can do everything possible.” Newton recounted an incident where Cruise became frustrated with her during the filming of a nighttime scene where their characters were supposed to have an intense and conflicted moment on a balcony.
The actress mentioned that John Woo—the famed director known for his action films—chose not to speak English during the production of ‘Mission: Impossible 2′, which made executing and perfecting scenes more challenging. Cruise was dissatisfied with Newton’s performance in the scene and became so frustrated that he suggested they switch roles to demonstrate what he wanted from her.
“We filmed the entire scene with me playing him—even though I already knew the dialogue—and him playing me. And it was utterly useless... I can’t think of anything less revealing. It only deepened my fear and insecurity. It was a real shame. And bless him. And I truly mean bless him, because he was trying his absolute best.” Newton later called director Jonathan Demme—whom she had recently worked with on 'Beloved'—to share her experience on set. She described the moment to Demme as “a nightmare.”
“He was describing it, and it was clear he thought I was the big problem,” Newton said. “And Jonathan told me, ‘Thandie, shame on you for not standing up for yourself.’ He was a sweetheart. And then Tom called me, and I thought, ‘Ah, here comes the apology.’ No, he simply said, ‘We’re going to reshoot this next week.’ And I said, ‘Great.’ The next time we filmed, I went in and basically channeled everything... because I realized what he wanted. He just wanted this dominant b****. And I did the best I could. It’s not the best way to get the best work out of someone.”
Despite everything, Newton added that Cruise’s behavior on set was solely due to stress and mentioned that she had a “wonderful” time filming the ‘Mission: Impossible’ sequel.
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