‘Mission Impossible’ Star Hayley Atwell Slams ‘Grubby’ Tom Cruise Dating Rumors: ‘It’s Not What I’m About!’

With the release of Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, co-star Hayley Atwell, 41, has addressed rumors that she dated Tom Cruise, 61.

In an interview with The Independent, Atwell, who is engaged to music producer Ned Wolfgang Kelly, said she sees Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie as “sort of two uncles.”

Speaking about the speculation, the actress said, “It feels grubby. It’s not what I’m about. Why are things being assumed or projected onto me about my relationship with my work colleague and boss?” She also stated that the rumors were “upsetting” and “invasive” because they violated her personal life.

Atwell said that she spoke with Cruise about it, and he gave his opinion. She shared, “He’d be like, ‘You know exactly who you are. You know what you’re about. And that is the only thing that matters. It doesn’t matter what people think of you if you are in integrity with yourself, if you know what your value system is.'”  

The actress continued, saying that Cruise and McQuarrie told her to play her role as a “strong” and “intelligent” woman.

Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh film in the popular Mission: Impossible franchise. It centers around agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise), who battles against “The Entity,” a form of artificial intelligence that poses a danger to security around the world. Atwell stars as a thief named Grace, who ends up teaming up with Hunt.

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The film was released on July 12. So far, it has received rave reviews from critics. See some of the reactions below: