LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' is one of Tom Cruise's most awaited movies this year. Knowing it is Cruise's film, one can expect some risky stunts and it seems like the movie will feature some of the biggest stunts ever featured in the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise. One key stunt from 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' was incredibly risky as it sees Cruise drive a motorcycle off a cliff and fall toward the ground as he lets go of it. While we'll have to wait to see the movie to enjoy Cruise's hard work, it seems like 'Bourne' series star Matt Damon has always been in awe of the Hollywood's action icon's death-defying stunts.
During an appearance on Conan O'Brien's talk show, Damon spilled details about a dinner he had with Cruise and Emily Blunt while they were working on the film 'Edge of Tomorrow'. The conversation naturally veered toward Cruise's penchant for death-defying stunts, leaving Damon in awe of his undying passion.
'So, I get another safety guy'
During their dinner conversation, Damon couldn't resist asking Cruise about a specific stunt: his breathtaking ascent of the Burj Khalifa, the world-famous building, in the fourth installment of the 'Mission Impossible' film series, 'Ghost Protocol'. Cruise disclosed that he had been envisioning and planning this sequence for a staggering fifteen years, eagerly awaiting the opportunity to bring it to life.
However, Cruise faced a setback when his "safety guy" expressed concerns about the dangerous nature of the stunt and advised against proceeding with it. Undeterred, Cruise took matters into his own hands, as Damon vividly recounted Cruise's solution to simply "get another safety guy." Damon was taken aback by Cruise's unwavering determination, confessing that he would have declined to perform the stunt if it were deemed too perilous. “I looked at him and I’m like, ‘Well, I’m tapping out because you win. You are the best,'" Damon recalled. "At that point, when the safety guy, whose only job is to keep you safe, says ‘That’s too dangerous,’ my reaction is ‘Too bad we can’t do that sequence I came up with. It would have been really cool.’ His reaction is ‘No, we’re getting another safety guy.'”
Overcoming fear of heights
Despite his involvement in various adrenaline-pumping action scenes and stunts, Damon discovered an unexpected phobia during a trip to Dubai with his wife. While recounting his experience on Conan, Damon admitted that he had no prior knowledge of his fear of heights, having even "jumped off a bridge" for his films without hesitation. It was during a visit to a building's helicopter pad in Dubai that Damon's fear came to the forefront.
Recalling the incident, Damon described how he suddenly became paralyzed by his fear, stating, "I was in Dubai in 2004 and went to the top of this building with my wife and on this helicopter pad and walked out, and I went full lizard brain." The actor found himself frozen, unable to move, as his fear of heights overwhelmed him. Since that eye-opening moment, Damon has consciously avoided situations involving heights, recognizing his newfound vulnerability.
Tom Cruise and Matt Damon's friendship
Beyond the realm of stunts and fear, Tom Cruise and Matt Damon have developed a profound friendship rooted in their shared passion for action-packed movies. Their mutual respect and admiration for each other's work have undoubtedly contributed to the camaraderie they share. Both Cruise and Damon have left an indelible mark on the action film landscape, with Cruise thrilling audiences as Ethan Hunt in the 'Mission Impossible' franchise and Damon carving his own place as the enigmatic Jason Bourne in the acclaimed 'Bourne' series. But despite being two of the biggest stars in the industry, it is interesting that they have never worked together.
