Tom Cruise’s extreme stunts “terrify” Mission Impossible crew member who calls working with him “most stressful experience”

Vehicle specialist Graham Kelly reveals the intense pressure of working with Hollywood’s most daredevil actor, comparing Tom Cruise’s fearless approach to Brad Pitt’s more cautious style on set.

When pushing limits becomes genuinely frightening

We all know Tom Cruise doesn’t do things halfway. Whether he’s hanging off the side of a plane or scaling the world’s tallest building, the man seems to have a death wish wrapped in Hollywood magic. But what’s it actually like for the people who have to make his wild stunts happen?

Graham Kelly, a vehicle stunt specialist who’s worked on multiple Mission Impossible films, recently opened up about just how nerve-wracking it can be. “Tom pushes himself to the limit. I mean the real limit. That terrifies me,” Kelly told GQ in a candid interview that gives us a peek behind the curtain of Cruise’s legendary commitment.

Think about that for a second. This is coming from someone whose job involves building cars for high-speed chases and death-defying action sequences. If a professional stunt coordinator is saying he’s terrified, you know things are getting real.

The Brad Pitt comparison that says everything

Kelly’s comments came up while discussing the new F1 movie starring Brad Pitt, and the contrast he draws between the two A-listers is pretty telling. “Brad listens and knows his abilities, and I think he’d be the first to say: ‘Yeah, I’m not going to do that,’” Kelly explains.

Can you imagine Tom Cruise ever saying those words? The guy who literally learned to fly helicopters for a single scene probably doesn’t have “I’m not going to do that” in his vocabulary.

Kelly even jokes about what would have happened if Cruise had been cast in the F1 role instead of Pitt: “We would have had an accident.” He’s probably not entirely kidding.

Different approaches, same dedication

Now, Kelly isn’t throwing shade at either actor. Both Cruise and Pitt are incredibly dedicated to their craft, but they approach physical challenges differently. While Pitt knows when to step back and let the professionals handle the truly dangerous stuff, Cruise seems to view every stunt as a personal challenge he must conquer himself.

Joseph Kosinski, who directed Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, puts it this way: “Tom always pushes himself to the limit, but at the same time, he’s very capable and skilled. Both [Pitt and Cruise] have natural driving talent. But yes, I could see Tom maybe scaring us a little more.”

The Top Gun: Maverick phenomenon

Speaking of Top Gun: Maverick, let’s talk numbers for a minute. That movie wasn’t just a nostalgic trip down memory lane – it was a genuine blockbuster that proved Cruise’s approach, while terrifying for his crew, definitely pays off at the box office.

The film pulled in an impressive $1.495 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest grossing film of 2022. Only Avatar: The Way of Water managed to beat it with $2.32 billion globally. Not too shabby for a sequel to a 36-year-old movie, right?

The film also snagged six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, though it only took home one statue for Best Sound. Still, for a movie that many people expected to be a cash grab, those are pretty impressive credentials.

When extreme preparation meets extreme execution

What makes Cruise’s approach so unique isn’t just his willingness to do dangerous stunts – it’s his obsessive preparation. The man doesn’t just show up and wing it. He trains for months, sometimes years, to perfect whatever skill the role demands.

For Top Gun: Maverick, he spent extensive time learning advanced flying techniques. For the Mission Impossible films, he’s mastered everything from:

Motorcycle racing at professional speeds
Rock climbing without safety equipment
Helicopter piloting in extreme conditions
Underwater breath-holding techniques
High-altitude parachuting

The guy basically becomes a professional athlete for each role, which is probably why he can push those limits that terrify experienced stunt coordinators.

The cost of perfectionism

But here’s the thing that makes Kelly’s comments so interesting – they highlight the human cost of Cruise’s perfectionism. It’s not just about one actor being brave or reckless. There’s an entire crew of professionals whose job is to keep him safe while he pursues these increasingly elaborate stunts.

Imagine being the person responsible for building a motorcycle that Tom Cruise is going to drive off a cliff. You know he’s skilled, you know he’s prepared, but you also know that if something goes wrong, it’s not just his career on the line – it’s his life.

The ripple effect of extreme filmmaking

Kelly’s experience working on Mission Impossible films represents something bigger happening in Hollywood. As audiences become more sophisticated and CGI becomes more obvious, there’s increasing pressure to deliver authentic, practical stunts. But that authenticity comes with real risks that affect everyone involved in the production.

The insurance costs alone for a Tom Cruise action film must be astronomical. Then there’s the stress on the crew members who have to facilitate these stunts, the extra safety measures required, and the constant awareness that any small mistake could be catastrophic.

What this means for future action films

As Hollywood continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in action filmmaking, Cruise’s approach raises some interesting questions. Are we reaching a point where the pursuit of authentic stunts is becoming too dangerous? Or does the success of films like Top Gun: Maverick prove that audiences still crave that real, visceral experience that only practical effects can provide?

The upcoming Mission Impossible films will likely continue to test these boundaries. With each installment, the stunts seem to get more elaborate and more dangerous. At some point, you have to wonder if there’s a line that even Tom Cruise won’t cross.

Then again, this is the same guy who hung off the side of a plane during takeoff. Maybe there is no line.

The Brad Pitt alternative

The F1 movie with Brad Pitt offers an interesting counterpoint to Cruise’s approach. Pitt, who’s no stranger to action films himself, seems to represent a more measured approach to on-screen thrills. He’s still committed to authenticity, but he knows when to let the professionals handle the truly life-threatening stuff.

Both approaches have their merits. Cruise’s method gives us those jaw-dropping moments that make us question whether what we’re seeing is real. Pitt’s approach ensures that everyone goes home safely at the end of the day while still delivering compelling action sequences.

Maybe the future of action filmmaking lies somewhere between these two approaches – pushing boundaries while respecting the very real human costs involved. After all, the most important thing isn’t the stunt itself, but making sure that everyone who contributes to bringing it to life can walk away from the experience in one piece.

What do you think? Is Tom Cruise’s commitment to extreme stunts worth the stress it puts on his crew, or should more actors follow Brad Pitt’s example of knowing their limits?