“I said what I said,” Cruise told Empire in a recent interview, clarifying that he did not shout in front of the “entire crew” and only addressed the “select people” who were directly involved with the safety violation. “There was a lot at stake at that point.” “All those emotions were going through my mind,” Cruise added about the production’s two previous Covid delays adding fuel to his rant. “I was thinking about the people I work with, and my industry. And for the whole crew to know that we’d started rolling on a movie was just a huge relief.”
The latest “Mission: Impossible” movie has not had a Covid delay since Cruise’s rant. The actor noted, “And here we are, continuing to film,” before throwing in a joke that he is available for “Zoom parties and kids’ parties also, you know!” In the leaked audio, Cruise was heard telling crew members, “I am beyond your apologies. We are not shutting this fucking movie down. Is it understood? If I see it again, you’re fucking gone. And so are you. So you’re gonna cost him his job. If I see it on the set, you’re gone and you’re gone. That’s it. Am I clear?…Do you understand what I want? Do you understand the responsibility that you have? Because I will deal with your reason, and if you can’t be reasonable, and I can’t deal with your logic, you’re fired. That’s it.” The audio sparked an industry debate about whether Cruise’s behavior and tone crossed the line. George Clooney said the intention behind Cruise’s rant was correct, but “it’s just not my style to take everybody to task that way.” Leah Remini, a former Scientologist who has long been critical of Cruise’s ties to the religion, condemned the rant as a publicity stunt. “Mission: Impossible” cast member Vanessa Kirby told press “being safe is the message” when asked to comment on the rant. Paramount will release “Mission: Impossible 7” in theaters May 27, 2022. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
