Hayley Atwell displays on 5 years of “Mission: Inconceivable” and Tom Cruise’s off-camera humility

Hayley Atwell says working in 40 levels under zero temperatures within the Arctic was simply a part of the job for “Mission: Inconceivable — The Ultimate Reckoning,” however nothing ready her for the second a polar bear wandered onto the set.

“We have been to this point north that the Northern Lights have been under us,” Atwell mentioned. 

The set being interrupted by the presence of a polar bear stays certainly one of her strongest reminiscences from 5 years engaged on the franchise.

The British actress, who performs Grace within the newest installment hitting theaters Friday, underwent intensive coaching to work with sled canine on the frozen sea. The acute circumstances have been actual, no inexperienced display screen results.

“We needed to practice to know what it was like, tips on how to survive, tips on how to work on the market,” she mentioned.

Atwell’s character represents a departure from typical motion movie roles for girls. Relatively than serving as a romantic curiosity, Grace develops what Atwell calls a “nuanced intimacy” with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt.

“The lady isn’t just the thing of need or not led with a romantic agenda,” Atwell mentioned, “There’s mental stimulation between them, frequent trigger that brings them collectively, one thing that feels sibling-like, maternal.”

Working alongside Cruise for 5 years has given Atwell perception into the actor’s off-camera persona. The 2 have develop into shut, he even took her grandmother on a helicopter journey at sundown on Christmas Eve.

“For a person who’s an aerobatic pilot, seeing him be so mild and sort and affected person together with her and explaining how every part labored, that to me was like only a mark of a extremely respectable man,” she mentioned.

To arrange for her position as a thief, Atwell practiced sleight-of-hand methods, even efficiently stealing objects from Cruise throughout filming, together with salt and pepper shakers, a watch, a necklace and health club socks.

“I’ve by no means been a thief earlier than. So I wanted to follow,” she mentioned.

Atwell describes “The Ultimate Reckoning” as “the fruits of all the films that is gone earlier than” that “ties up plot factors and characters that folks have been anticipating the final 30 years.” The movie obtained a five-minute standing ovation at its debut in France.

Regardless of the movie’s title suggesting the tip, Atwell remained coy about whether or not this really ends the franchise.

“I am not the top of the studio. I am simply an actor for rent. I do not know,” she mentioned when pressed about potential sequels.

“Mission: Inconceivable — The Ultimate Reckoning” is distributed by Paramount Photos and opens in theaters nationwide Friday.