LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: As Tom Cruise gears up to wow audiences once again with his death-defying stunts in 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One' his co-star Greg Davis reflects on the invaluable lessons he learned while working alongside the iconic action star. Davis, who also starred alongside Cruise in 'Top Gun: Maverick', shared how Cruise's advice has left a lasting impact on his life.
When asked about the most important thing he took away from his experience working with Cruise, Davis shared, "Accepting that anything that happens to me is the result of what I have done. Whether it's good or bad, I need to accept responsibility for it. If it's good, learn how to keep going. If it's bad, learn from it and do better," as per ET.
Greg Davis values Tom Cruise's dedication to his work
While Cruise's life advice may seem sensible, it raises eyebrows due to its apparent alignment with his beliefs in Scientology. The controversial religion, known for its complex philosophies, uses concepts like the "Overt-Motivator Sequence," which bears a resemblance to Cruise's words about accountability. It suggests that taking responsibility for past actions, even from past lives, is vital for personal growth.
Despite the speculations, Davis continues to praise Cruise for his work ethic and dedication to performing his own stunts. In 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One', Cruise reprises his role as Ethan Hunt, the fearless agent for the Impossible Mission Force. On the other hand, Davis portrays Degas, a partner to Jasper Briggs (played by Shea Whigham), in the heart-pounding action film. The actor also reflected on the exhilarating experience of filming 'Top Gun: Maverick' by saying, "I'm in better shape because of the beach volleyball scene." "They still talking about that today," he said jokingly, adding, "They're like, 'Man, you need some baby oil!' And I'm like, 'No, no. I'm in a different movie now but thank you'."
While Cruise's on-screen stunts might seem awe-inspiring, Davis admits to being genuinely terrified during a high-octane car chase scene in Rome, where Cruise opted against using stunt doubles. Davis humorously recalls texting his mother in panic, expressing his love and regret for any past wrongdoings.
'If something were to happen you would've been sad'
"So, I'm in the car with Shea Whigham. I'm in the passenger [seat]. I thought there was going to be a stunt driver, but Tom does not hire stunt people for some reason. I don't know. So we do everything ourselves," said Davis. "So, Shea is driving and there's like these two cameras mounted on the front of the hood and then there's a camera mounted on the side of the window. I'm sitting there and I'm like, 'OK, we're about to drive,' you know, waiting for the stunt man. He's like, 'All right, we're about to start driving.' And I'm like, 'Why are you? Why are you? Why are you? No. No. No. No. You're Shea. No. You're not good at ... No, I wouldn't drive with you on a regular day, so why we doing it in the streets of Rome with people and cars and everything?!'"
Davis continued, "I told my mama, 'I love you. I hope you know that and I'm sorry for all the bad stuff that I did. Forgive me'." However, much to his amusement, his mother believed it was all a joke. "No, she ain't text me back," Davis said, adding, "She thought I was playing. I was like, 'If something were to happen you would've been sad!'"
