Tom Cruise didn’t earn a penny for his headline-making stunt at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite the scale of the event, Cruise, 62, performed his daring feat entirely for free.
Casey Wasserman, president and chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, shared details about Cruise’s involvement during the CNBC x Boardroom: Game Plan panel held in Santa Monica, California.
According to Wasserman, Cruise had just wrapped up filming for Mission: Impossible in London at 6 p.m., immediately caught a flight to LA, and arrived at 4 a.m. to shoot a scene in which he boards a military plane.
Wasserman explained that Cruise became increasingly invested in the project, ultimately committing to the pretaped stunt at no cost. Initially, they expected to have limited time with the actor and assumed much of the work would be handled by a stunt double.
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However, during the planning stages, Cruise surprised everyone by insisting, “I’m in. But I’m only doing it if I get to do everything.”
The Top Gun star, who had been a regular presence throughout the Olympics, particularly during Simone Biles’ gymnastics performances, impressed audiences at the August 11 ceremony. He dramatically descended from the top of the stadium to officially pass the Olympic torch to Los Angeles, which will host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
As part of the ceremony, Cruise was given the Olympic flag and sped through the streets of Paris on a motorcycle. In a pre-recorded segment, he was then seen boarding a jet and parachuting down onto the iconic Hollywood sign in California.
The ceremonial handoff concluded with skateboarder Jagger Eaton arriving at a stage in Venice Beach, California, where the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed.
Notably, U.S. athletes Katie Ledecky, a swimmer, and Nick Mead, a rower, carried the flag for America during the closing ceremony, as the U.S. topped the medal tally with 126 total medals, including 40 gold. The 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles are set to begin on July 14.
