Tom Cruise’s ‘Nervous’ Moment Revealed: Simon Pegg Recalls the One Stunt That Got to Him

Simon Pegg, the affable and often wide-eyed Benji Dunn of the Mission: Impossible franchise, has witnessed firsthand Tom Cruise’s jaw-dropping stunts over nearly two decades. As the highly anticipated Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 23, Pegg opened up about the moments that left him both amazed and, surprisingly, nervous about Cruise’s daredevil feats.

A Life on the Line for the Audience

Tom Cruise’s reputation as Hollywood’s ultimate stuntman is well earned. Known for pushing boundaries to deliver authentic thrills, Cruise isn’t just chasing adrenaline—he’s doing it for the audience. “I’ve said, ‘You’re absolutely nuts’ many times to him,” Pegg told People in a special Mission: Impossible edition. “But he just cares that much about it.”

From scaling the world’s tallest building to heart-stopping motorcycle leaps, Cruise’s commitment is unrelenting. Pegg, who has been part of the franchise since Mission: Impossible III (2006), has seen it all—and the dedication never fails to impress.

Hanging Off the Burj Khalifa: The Ultimate ‘S— Eating Grin’ Moment

One stunt that left Pegg in awe was Cruise’s iconic climb on the Burj Khalifa during Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011). Watching Cruise literally hang off the skyscraper was terrifying yet thrilling. “I remember leaning out of the window and seeing Tom hanging there, smiling, this big s— eating grin on his face like, ‘I’m having the best time,’” Pegg recalls.

The image of Cruise enjoying the life-risking stunt was both surreal and a bit scary—knowing the stakes, yet seeing the man behind the daredevil grin.

The Heart-Stopping Motorcycle Cliff Jump

Pegg also singled out Cruise’s motorcycle-off-a-cliff stunt in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) as a favorite. The cast and crew watched anxiously as Cruise disappeared over the edge, waiting for the reassuring sound of his parachute opening.

“It was nail-biting,” Pegg said. “We’d literally see him vanish and wait to hear ‘good canopy’ on the radio.” This moment underscored just how dangerous—and awe-inspiring—Cruise’s commitment truly is.

The One Stunt That Got to Cruise: Hanging on a Plane

Despite his fearless persona, Pegg revealed one stunt that visibly shook Cruise: the opening scene in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), where Cruise clings to the outside of a military plane during takeoff.

“That was the first time I’d seen him nervous,” Pegg said. “There were a lot of variables, a lot that could have gone wrong.” Cruise himself admitted that as the plane taxied, he thought, “Oh, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”

Still, once the scene was shot and reviewed, Cruise was thrilled with the footage. “It really works in the story,” he said. His late mother, however, was less thrilled: “I’m so glad you didn’t fill me in on that one beforehand,” Cruise recalled her telling him.

Benji: The Audience’s Voice Amid the Danger

Throughout these breathtaking stunts, Pegg’s character Benji often serves as the audience’s surrogate—expressing awe, fear, and disbelief. “It’s fun to play the guy who’s almost like a member of the audience,” Pegg explained. “To be the one that’s going, ‘This is crazy.’”

Benji’s reactions mirror our own incredulity as Cruise continues to defy death for cinematic spectacle.

Looking Ahead to The Final Reckoning

As Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning approaches, Tom Cruise’s fearless dedication to practical stunts shows no sign of slowing. From skyscraper climbs to cliff dives and hanging onto planes, Cruise remains Hollywood’s ultimate daredevil, risking it all for audiences worldwide.

And as Pegg has seen, behind every death-defying stunt is a man who lives for the challenge—even if, every now and then, it makes him nervous too.