The actress shares her admiration for the Hollywood star while confirming her role in the upcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.
Hannah Waddingham’s recent appearance in the trailer for the upcoming Mission: Impossible film has sparked renewed attention to her enthusiastic endorsement of star Tom Cruise. The actress, known for her role in the acclaimed series Ted Lasso, will feature alongside Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, which is subtitled The Final Reckoning and is slated for release on 21 May 2025.
Waddingham’s involvement in the film was a surprise to many viewers, who were taken aback by her cameo alongside Tramell Tillman in the newly unveiled trailer. The announcement about her role was first made during her guest appearance on the festive special of ITV’s James Martin’s Saturday Morning on Christmas Day 2023. During the segment, the conversation turned to the Hollywood star, during which Waddingham expressed her admiration for him.
Reflecting on her experience working with Cruise, Waddingham shared, “I have to say, I have a real problem with anybody that goes at him now.” She praised him as “one of the loveliest and encouraging, positive and inspiring human beings I have ever met,” adding, “Isn’t he gorgeous? I have no time for anyone saying anything about him.”
Despite his standing as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, Cruise’s off-screen persona has frequently attracted controversy. He has been the subject of intense media speculation due to his unconventional behaviour, including a notable incident in 2005 when he famously jumped on the sofa during an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show to express his feelings for then-girlfriend Katie Holmes. Take further scrutiny, he engaged in a heated discussion with Matt Lauer regarding psychiatry, which he referred to as a “pseudo-science.”
Much of the discourse surrounding Cruise is also tied to his long-standing affiliation with the Church of Scientology. The church has faced accusations regarding the status of its figures, including a recent joke made at the 2023 Golden Globes by host Jerrod Carmichael, who referenced Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who has not been seen in public since 2007. In response to the joke, the Church of Scientology issued denials about claims surrounding her well-being, reiterating that she is not missing. The Los Angeles Police Department had previously closed a missing persons investigation, confirming they had established contact with Shelly Miscavige in 2014.
As excitement builds for the next instalment of the Mission: Impossible series, which will also feature Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames, Tom Cruise is set to engage in a special conversation about his career on 11 May at BFI Southbank in London. With anticipation high for the film’s release, Waddingham’s glowing remarks about Cruise may resonate with fans and followers of both actors.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://people.com/tom-cruise-mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning-trailer-11705475 – This article corroborates Hannah Waddingham’s involvement in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and discusses the trailer, which features her alongside Tom Cruise and Tramell Tillman.
- https://www.justice.gov/archives/sco/file/1373816/download – Although this link doesn’t directly support any specific claims in the article, it relates to high-profile investigations and can provide context on how media speculation and controversy often surround figures like Tom Cruise, though it specifically deals with Russian interference.
- https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/trailers/a64398743/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-trailer/ – This article further supports the release details and casting of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, including Hannah Waddingham and other notable actors.
- https://immigrantjustice.org/sites/default/files/content-type/resource/documents/2018-10/NIJC%20Asylum%20Manual_final%2007%202018.pdf – This link does not directly support any specific claims in the article but is related to legal and procedural contexts, which might tangentially relate to legal controversies surrounding celebrities.
- https://www.mass.gov/guide-to-evidence/article-xi-miscellaneous – Similar to the Justice Department link, this URL does not directly support claims about Hannah Waddingham or Tom Cruise but could be related to legal contexts concerning public figures and controversies.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative mentions recent events like Hannah Waddingham’s appearance in the Mission: Impossible trailer and a 2023 Christmas Day announcement, indicating it is relatively up-to-date. However, some historical references (e.g., Tom Cruise’s 2005 Oprah appearance) suggest content reuse.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
The quote by Hannah Waddingham appears to be original to this context, but without further online references, it cannot be confirmed as the first use.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from The Independent, a well-established and reputable publication known for its reliability.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Claims about the upcoming film and its casting are plausible given the context of the film’s release and known involvements. However, the Scientology controversy is longstanding and well-documented.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is generally reliable, given its freshness, the reputation of the source, and the plausibility of the claims. However, some quotes lack verification, and the inclusion of historical controversy does not detract from the relevance and accuracy of more recent events.
