Tom Cruise ‘lends’ Mission: Impossible crew to Rick Astley for new music video amid Hollywood strikes

Cruise’s Mission: Impossible co-star Simon Pegg directs Astley’s forthcoming music video

Rick Astley has Tom Cruise’s Hollywood film crew working on his latest music video.

The “Never Gonna Give You Up” singer, 57, announced last week that Simon Pegg was directing the visuals for his new single, “Forever and More”.

He explained on BBC Breakfast on Monday (16 October) that he and Pegg, 53, had linked up after “sharing some love” at a festival.

“He jumped in and did it, he came up with a great script and a whole concept and idea. It was just a great couple of days to shoot it,” Astley said of filming.

Pegg has now starred in six films in the Mission: Impossible franchise as field agent Benji Dunn opposite Cruise’s protagonist, Ethan Hunt.

On Breakfast, Astley revealed that Pegg had roped in the M:I film crew to work on his video as they are currently in limbo due to the ongoing SAG actors’ strike in the US.

“We’ve gone from iPhone to Hollywood – it’s a crazy jump,” the singer said.

Rick Astley (left) and Tom Cruise (Getty Images)

The Sun further reports that Cruise himself gave Pegg the green light to borrow his film crew.

A source told the newspaper: “Tom has worked with a number of them on many films so he wanted to be loyal and help out during tough times.

“After discussions with Simon and the label, he’s got them all to cross over and work on the video. Rick is delighted about it because they have lofty standards and could produce something extraordinary.”

The video was reportedly shot on Monday in a secret location in the UK.

Astley released his ninth, and long-awaited, studio album Are We There Yet? On 13 October.

In an interview on BBC North West Tonight earlier this week, the Merseyside artist said he has “learned to quietly embrace” the success of his 1987 smash hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” after “15 years of not singing it”.

Astley said the song had opened “so many doors” for him – including his debut Glastonbury performance this year.

“Without my old songs and without the Rickrolling thing with its own little universe, I wouldn’t have got the invite to Glastonbury.

“It was really, really special [and] I defy [anyone] to be on the Pyramid stage and not feel the enormity of it,” he continued.