The Today Show anchor opened up about finally getting a photo with the Mission Impossible star at the Olympics
It’s no secret that Hoda Kotb’s job as a longtime news anchor comes with its fair share of perks, and she just had her dreamiest one come true.
The longtime Today Show host, along with much of her NBC family, including Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin, among others, are in Paris for the 2024 Olympics and the network’s sporting extravaganza.
Aside from the NBC favorites, celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Mick Jagger, Celine Dion, Snoop Dogg, Flava Flav, and many more, have also descended in the City of Light, and on the very first night, Hoda got a highly-anticipated photo with the one and only Tom Cruise.
Speaking from Today’s set at the Trocadéro on Monday, July 29, the hosts got to talking about what it was like for Hoda to finally get the picture she’d been wanting with the Mission Impossible star.
“It was a moment that none of us will forget,” Savannah said, noting that it was almost midnight, when Hoda “[came] back and she’s like, ‘Guys, I got the shot.'”
“Soaking wet Tom Cruise and Hoda in her poncho,” she further joked about the rainy, but still epic, photo.
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Hoda met Tom for the first time
Hoda’s co-host Jenna Bush Hager had a similar joke in store; sharing how their own conversation about it went, Hoda said: “I said I always kind of dreamed of this moment, and she said, ‘Did your dream include a terrible poncho?'”
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Sarah Michelle Gellar, The Girl In The Pool LA premiere, Beverly Hills
Freddie Prinze Jr., The Girl In The Pool LA premiere, Beverly Hills
Saorise-Monica Jackson, The Decameron, New York City
Josh Hartnett and Tamsin Egerton, Trap world premiere, New York
“That’s what makes it better!” Al then quipped, as Hoda added: “He was just very nice to everybody, he was taking pictures with everybody.”
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Tom was last on the Today Show in 2008, for a now infamous interview with Matt Lauer
“It’s so sweet he recognized you,” Savannah further noted, and emphasized: “And then he followed you to the gymnastics, you guys kept hanging out.”
© NBCHoda, Savannah and more are filming the Today Show from Paris
Hoda also shared the photo to her Instagram, writing in her caption: “Do you know when you dream of meeting Tom Cruise… And then it finally happens,” and fans and colleagues alike were quick to take to the comments section to rave about it.
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The actor saw the U.S. get its first gold medal of the Olympics
“Omg not how you saw that one coming. So good,” Good Morning America anchor Lara Spencer wrote with a red heart emoji, as others followed suit with: “I love it! ONLY HODA could look beaming beautiful in a full poncho with a hood!” and: “Poncho for the absolute gold medal,” as well as: “You look adorable!! @hodakotb thank you for making the entire Olympics experience so exciting!!”
The Olympics kicked off on July 26, and will run through Sunday, August 11. So far, the U.S. has earned three gold medals, and 12 in total, two for swimming, and one for fencing.
