Hayley Atwell is recalling quite the memorable experience her Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One co-star Tom Cruise helped give to her grandmother.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, published online Wednesday, the actress revealed that the Top Gun: Maverick star took her loved one “in a helicopter on Christmas Eve and gave her a tour of London.”
“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,” she added.
Atwell went on to explain just how the epic surprise went down, saying she had initially taken her grandmother to a helicopter base that had a cafe attached to it.
“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.”
The Avengers: Endgame actress noted that she was “so relaxed” with Cruise before going up in the air. She even said that the effect Cruise had on her grandmother had “totally disarmed her fear.”
“Then he said, ‘I would love to take you on the helicopter, on a ride of London,’” she explained. “And she was like, ‘Oh, fantastic! Yes, I’ll just put me walking stick down here!’”
Cruise also chimed in to express what a pleasure the whole experience was.
“I knew her grandmother’s never been in a helicopter, so [I said] I’m going to take you at sunset,” the actor said. “It was beautiful. … I said, ‘Don’t worry, Hayley. We’re gonna just take our time. It’s gonna be a lovely family outing.’”
Atwell added that “it was cute” seeing her grandmother have “the most wonderful time.”
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One will debut in theaters July 12.
