The 'Mission: Impossible' co-stars took Atwell's grandmother for an incredible ride!
When you're in a movie with Tom Cruise, you can expect some pretty extreme experiences!
ET's Nischelle Turner sat down with Cruise and his Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One co-stars this week, ahead of the film's premiere, and franchise newcomer Hayley Atwell shared how the multi-talented superstar helped her give her grandmother an unforgettable memory.
"The first thing comes to mind for me is that he took my grandmother in a helicopter on Christmas Eve and gave her a tour of London," Atwell shared of Cruise's epic gift. "I didn't tell her it was coming, because I knew that she wouldn't -- there's no way she would get into a helicopter."
"I took her to a helicopter base in central London that had, like, a cafe attached to it, and we're having a cup of tea and I said, 'Oh, some helicopters out there,' and she went, 'Oh, you wouldn't get me in one of those things,'" the actress recalled. "We surprised her and Tom came walking around the car. It was so sweet, because my grandmother was like, 'Hiya, Tom, how are you darling?!' and talked to him like he was one of her own."
"She was so relaxed with him. And then he said, 'I would love to take you on the helicopter, on a ride of London,'" Atwell continued. "And she was like, 'Oh, fantastic! Yes, I'll just put me walking stick down here!'... The effect that he had on her totally disarmed her fear. And she had the most wonderful time... It was cute."
The Agent Carter star was also wowed by Cruise's presence on the set of Mission: Impossible, praising his interactions with the cast and crew of the beloved franchise.
"The charisma that he has comes from sort of a childlike enthusiasm for the work that he does," Atwell marveled. "And the fact that he remains a student of film, he's always looking to push, to explore, he's very curious. That keeps him taking creative risks."
"Also, I think his kindness," she added of what makes Cruise one of the biggest stars in the world. "He walks into the room, he knows everyone's name, he gives everyone his time. Very gracious, really charming. And that, of course, magnetizes people to him because they want to be in the company of people who make them feel good."
For Cruise's part, no surprise, he said taking Atwell's grandmother for the life-changing ride was his pleasure.
"I knew her grandmother's never been in a helicopter, so [I said] I'm going to take you at sunset," he recalled. "It was beautiful.... I said, 'Don't worry, Hayley. We're gonna just take our time. It's gonna be a lovely family outing."
Cruise also had nothing but praise for Atwell joining the Mission: Impossible franchise, noting that both the actress and their new locations in Rome both brought something special to Dead Reckoning Part One.
"Hayley's performance and who she is, it just allowed us a different kind of tone," he shared. "Rome is incredibly romantic. ... It's a cinematic city. In the history of cinema, La Dolce Vita, you know, Roman Holiday. And we're looking at this, seeing what Hayley as an actress allows us to bring, and allows those sequences in the same way."
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is in theaters July 12.
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