Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible 8 costar Shea Whigham chose to have a scene with the legendary star rather than to have a bigger trailer or payday. He plays US Intelligence Agent Jasper Briggs in the famed action franchise, and fortunately, he got his wish.
Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One / Paramount Pictures
Whigham’s character is tasked to arrest Cruise’s Ethan Hunt who had one of the keys to unlocking the Entity. Everyone knows how incredible and dangerous the stunts are in the movie, so one unforgettable scene with the lead star would definitely make up for all the long hours on set.

Shea Whigham Prefers A Scene With Tom Cruise In Mission: Impossible 8 Than Higher Payday

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, actor Shea Whigham revealed he told director Christopher McQuarrie that he wants a scene with Tom Cruise, even without the money or anything else.

I don’t want a bigger trailer. I don’t want more money. I don’t want better catering. I just want one scene between Tom and I, where you, McQ, write it like The Usual Suspects, and we get a chance to get in there.

Shea Whigham in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One / Paramount Pictures
For those who aren’t familiar, The Usual Suspects was a 1995 crime thriller movie written by McQuarrie. The filmmaker delivered, and Whigham did the scene with Cruise.

Later on, they went out to dinner, and the lead star said, “Do you realize that we come out one year from today? And it’s going to be a sprint to finish the f—king thing.”