Rebecca Ferguson was shooting another project in the desert when she got the call to fly to London to meet Tom Cruise.

Mission: Impossible is one of Hollywood’s priciest franchises, loved by millions. And it’s ot just for the jaw-dropping stunts that Tom Cruise insists on doing himself, but also for the heart-pounding action and adventure stories set around the globe. The spy plot always gets audiences hyped, but to keep the well-crafted storyline moving, it’s crucial to bring in other key characters.

Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust in Mission: Impossible franchise (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

Rebecca Ferguson is one of the stars who joined the cast, but according to her, the way she got the role was pretty unusual. Then again, it’s exactly the kind of thing Cruise would do to get her in his movies. Not surprising, given how much he pours into the project.

How Rebecca Ferguson Got Cast In The Mission: Impossible Franchise

Rebecca Ferguson in Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

The latest film in Tom Cruise‘s iconic franchise, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, brings back Ethan Hunt and Ilsa Faust, played by Rebecca Ferguson. Despite her character’s tragic end, she remains one of the longest-running figures in the entire series, having been introduced to audiences early on.

Adding Ferguson to the cast wasn’t difficult, but it was a bit unconventional. Given that the franchise features dangerous scenes set in various locations around the globe, it might have helped that Cruise knew she was filming The Red Tent in the desert. That probably made it easier for him to picture her in the role.

In an interview with FabTV on the red carpet for Mission: Impossible – Fallout, the star talked about her casting process. She revealed that she had to pause her filming in Morocco, and fly to London to join the movie:

I was on a camel in the desert (…) And they paused the shooting, and said “Tom Cruise wants to meet you, and they want to cast you for Mission Impossible. We’ll pause this film for two days, and we’ll fly you over to London so that you can meet him”. And then they called a week later.

Given that even in the latest film in the franchise, you can see Cruise’s character riding a horse in the desert on his way to meet Ferguson’s character, it’s easy to imagine what the actor and producer had in mind when casting her.

In the same interview, she was asked about the chance of winning an Oscar in the future and, jokingly, what she’d do if another actress won the award instead. Ferguson replied:

Oh my god, I’d hunt them down (…) And I’d take it back [the award], and I’d go “Do you want it? You can ask me for it”. That’s what I’d do. That’s why Tom wanted me.

The actress has talked about her relationship with Cruise before. Reflecting on the movie and her entire experience with the star, it seems she’s learned a lot.

Rebecca Ferguson’s Experience Working In Mission: Impossible?

Rebecca Ferguson and Tom Cruise as Ilsa Faust and Ethan Hunt (Credits: Paramount Pictures)

In a 2023 interview with Radio Times magazine, the actress shared some insights about diving into the franchise and the entire process of working alongside Cruise: (via Deadline)

He’s a happy, excited, professional movie star. He’s kind, wonderful and driven, and gave me the most incredible opportunities.

According to her, her experience as Ilsa Faust was largely thanks to the actor, who was the driving force behind making everything happen, and inspiring the cast and crew. She sees him as a major source of inspiration.

She also said that Cruise expects the best from everyone, and this was one of the biggest lessons she learned. His professionalism and dedication stand out, especially since he’s always the first to arrive on set and the last to leave.

Something else she mentioned was that the key lesson she took away was the importance of being versatile, because “if you can’t deliver, that’s fine, you always look for other solutions“. No situation is ever completely lost.

All Mission: Impossible films are available for streaming on Paramount+.