Thandie Newton says she was ‘so scared’ of Tom Cruise while filming Mission: Impossible 2

Newton describes Cruise as ‘a very dominant individual’ who ‘tries super hard to be a nice person’

Thandie Newton has said she was “so scared” of Tom Cruise while working on Mission: Impossible 2.

The actor was asked about her experience shooting the 2000 action film in a new interview with Vulture, and whether she was offered roles in any of the film’s sequels.

“Oh, I was never asked. I was so scared of Tom,” Newton, who portrays Nyah Nordoff-Hall in the movie, said in response.

“He was a very dominant individual. He tries super hard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done.”

She then recounted that while working on a specific scene, the two got “frustrated with each other” and “it wasn’t going well”.

According to Newton, Cruise suggested rehearsing the scene by switching roles, meaning Newton said his line and he said hers.

“And it was the most unhelpful ... I can’t think of anything less revealing. It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity,” Newton added. “It was a real shame. And bless him. And I really do mean bless him, because he was trying his damnedest.”

Eventually, Newton said she got the scene done “because I realised what he wanted. He just wanted this alpha b****.”

“He wasn’t horrible,” she added of Cruise. ”It was just – he was really stressed.”

The Independent has contacted Cruise’s representative for comment.

Newton went on to star in the 2004 film Crash, which earned her a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. Her portrayal of Maeve Millay on Westworld has won her the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.