Tom Cruise wowed the Paris Olympics closing ceremony with a daring stunt, rappelling from the Stade de France roof and ending on the Hollywood sign. The stunt took 18 months to plan!

Here's How Tom Cruise Became The First Person To Touch The LA Sign
Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible ( P.C. YouTube/ Paramount Pictures)

At the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024, Tom Cruise added a touch of movie magic to the event. On August 11, the action star, who is currently filming Mission: Impossible 8, performed a highly anticipated stunt. The video began with him rappelling off the roof of the Stade de France and concluded with him arriving at the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, where the 2028 Summer Olympics will be held.

Ben Winston, executive producer and creative director of Fulwell 73 Productions, told Vogue that the stunt took a year and a half to plan. As Cruise, 62, climbed the Hollywood sign in March to film that segment, paparazzi captured footage of him, highlighting the difficulty of keeping the stunt secret. Cruise watched the Games from the stands during the first week, as H.E.R. performed the U.S. national anthem.

After rappelling to the ground, Cruise was greeted by medal-winning athletes. Though a woman attempted to kiss him, he managed to divert the gesture, as is expected from a seasoned movie star. In the presence of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and decorated gymnast Simone Biles, Cruise received the Olympic flag.

He then brought the flag to his motorcycle and rode out of the arena without a helmet. A prerecorded segment began with Cruise channeling his Top Gun character, Maverick, against the Eiffel Tower backdrop in Paris. In a dramatic finish, Cruise boarded a plane, and moments later, jumped out with the flag folded and tucked away.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, the Hollywood sign had been redesigned, with the two O’s transformed into the five Olympic rings. Athletes such as mountain biker Kate Courtney, former sprinter Michael Johnson, and skateboarder Jagger Eaton then took the flag to the beach, where performances by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre took place.

Keeping the stunt a secret was a “risky business,” according to Jeff Zarrinnam, Chairman of the Hollywood Sign Trust. Even their own cameras were turned off to maintain secrecy during the stunt.

The video clearly shows the Hollywood sign adorned with the Olympic rings as the camera pans from a close-up shot of Cruise to a full view of the sign.

“They wanted to do something spectacular, something with the Hollywood Sign because it represents Los Angeles,” Zarrinnam said. When Cruise heard the idea, he was immediately enthusiastic. “Hollywood means so much to him,” the chairman added.

Cruise did not drive to the location for the two-day shoot; instead, he flew his own helicopter to the helipad atop the Hollywood sign. Zarrinnam noted that normally, no one is allowed to touch the Hollywood sign during filming. This event marked the first time the sign was touched, previewing the glitz, glamour, and over-the-top celebrations expected when the Summer Games come to Los Angeles in 2028.