He is famed for performing his own stunts.
So Tom Cruise was naturally keen to show off his skills as he put on an incredible display during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, where he joined the British funnyman in launching out of a plane in Perris Valley, California.
The Mission Impossible legend, 56, encouraged James to embark on the stunt, which saw the duo fall 15,000 feet from a plane, and while the host was attached to an expert, showing his incredible skill, Tom jumped out alone.
Jumping out: Tom Cruise was naturally keen to show off his skills as he put on an incredible display during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, where he joined the British funnyman in launching out of a plane in Perris Valley, California
As the show opened, Tom admitted he did not expect James to go though with the stunt as he was convinced he would pull out at the last minute.
He said: ‘I’m just so impressed that James is going skydiving. I mean, between you and me, I was half expecting him to text me and tell me he was cancelling.’
In response to the cheeky jibe, James joked about trying to cancel, as he said: ‘I’ve actually been trying to get a hold of Tom for the last couple of days to cancel, but apparently I had his number saved wrong in my phone.
‘So, I’d also like to take this time to apologise to Tom Hiddleston for all the messages I sent him about my case of food poisoning.’
The launch: The Mission Impossible legend, 56, encouraged James to embark on the stunt, which saw the duo fall 15,000 feet from a plane, and while the host was attached to an expert, showing his incredible skill, Tom jumped out alone
Wah: He said: ‘I’m just so impressed that James is going skydiving. I mean, between you and me, I was half expecting him to text me and tell me he was cancelling’
Fearful! As they headed into the plane, dressed in the necessary jumpsuits and protective garb, James managed to put his nerves aside enough to teach Tom the legendary ‘Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box’ dance
Another one… In 2016, the pair collaborated again to recreate a host of famous scenes from his films – including the legendary in the original Mission Impossible moment
As they headed into the plane, dressed in the necessary jumpsuits and protective garb, James managed to put his nerves aside enough to teach Tom the legendary ‘Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box’ dance.
Despite seeming to mask his nerves, he then proposed they never do such a dangerous task again as he said to the clearly-tickled actor: ‘You know, next time you come on the show, let’s just do a chat.’
He went on: ‘The worst problem is in all of this is, if we both die, I will get zero press. I mean, I will be a footnote. The story will be: “Tom Cruise dies – also that guy who occasionally drives around in a car”.’
Leg it! Tom is famed for performing his own stunts (pictured filming at Blackfriars Bridge in London, during filming for Mission Impossible 6 in January)
Dangerman: He was lauded as a ‘fantastic stunt rider’, as he continues his legendary stunts (pictured in 2015’s Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation)
Preparing: As the show opened, Tom admitted he did not expect James to go though with the stunt as he was convinced he would pull out at the last minute
All systems GO! Tom was a picture of calm as he encouraged James to go forth
Talking about the successful stunt on the show, Tom revealed why he is so keen to do his own stunts: ‘I want to entertain an audience, we come up with great stories and we’re able to put a camera in places that you normally can’t so it’s not just stunts. It’s storytelling and character.
‘I can’t help it. I’m 100 per cent when I do something and I just want to give the audience the very best so that’s what I try to do.’
It would not be the first time Tom took someone skydiving – as he admitted doing so with his late mother, Mary Lee South, as a Mother’s Day treat while he was filming Days Of Thunder in Florida in 1990.
He recalled how he surprised his mum, who died last year at age 80, at the airfield, with her calmly replying when he told her what he had planned: ‘Alright darling let’s go do it.’
Woo! It would not be the first time Tom took someone skydiving – as he admitted doing so with his late mother, Mary Lee South, as a Mother’s Day treat while he was filming Days Of Thunder in Florida in 1990
Wah! He recorded the jump, kissing his mum in the air, and sent the footage to his three sisters who had no idea what they had done
He recorded the jump, kissing his mum in the air, and sent the footage to his three sisters who had no idea what they had done.
Getting them to open the videos all at the same time, he smiled: ‘They opened it and put it on and saw what we were doing and just [beep]ed themselves. They were like, ”What are you doing to our mother!”
Of his late mom, he said: ‘She wasn’t necessarily a daredevil but she had just a wonderful sense of adventure. She was someone who the cup was always half full. There was always a smile there, just a lovely, lovely woman.’
Trimming up: Tom also spoke about one of his favorite movie set rituals – sending cakes to his crew, stuntmen and co-stars to live vicariously through their enjoyment as he keeps off sugar to stay in shape
Having a giggle: While Tom seemed to find the situation hilarious despite James appearing absolutely terrified
Tom also spoke about one of his favorite movie set rituals – sending cakes to his crew, stuntmen and co-stars to live vicariously through their enjoyment as he keeps off sugar to stay in shape.
He said: ‘I love sugar but I can’t eat it because when I’m training I’m doing all these movies, so I send it to everyone, I send it to the stunt team, and I wait for the calls.
Corden then told how the superstar had done a similar thing for him.
‘On the morning of the Grammys I woke up to someone knocking on my door, it was like 8am, and they presented me with an incredible chocolate cake and it was from Tom Cruise saying, ”Good luck with the Grammys”,’ he recalled.
Laughing, he said: ‘And I was like, ”This is how you look so good — you make everyone around you fat!”
While filming 2012 movie Jack Reacher, Tom was described as ‘one of the best stunt drivers I’ve ever met’ by the film’s second unit director Paul Jennings.