Hayley Atwell Reveals How Tom Cruise’s Words Empowered Her to Overcome Social Fears

In a recent appearance on the Reign With Josh Smith podcast, Hayley Atwell opened up about how her Mission: Impossible co-star, Tom Cruise, played a significant role in helping her overcome social anxiety. Atwell, who joined the Mission: Impossible franchise in 2023’s Dead Reckoning and will reprise her role in the upcoming Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, shared a powerful insight into how Cruise’s mentorship has shaped her ability to handle anxiety in Hollywood.

“Social anxiety tends to be something that people talk about a lot at the moment, right? And how a lot of people do have social anxiety at some point,” Atwell remarked during the podcast. “It manifests in different ways, but the pep talk [Tom] gave me helps that.” She explained that social anxiety often triggers self-doubt, leading her to retreat inwardly, questioning her appearance or whether she seemed awkward in social situations.

Cruise, known for his positive attitude and professionalism on set, offered Atwell a unique perspective to face those insecurities head-on. “Try doing the opposite,” he told her, encouraging her to actively look around the room when anxiety strikes. Cruise advised her to focus on identifying the source of her insecurity, whether it be a particular person or a past experience, and face it directly rather than turning away.

Atwell elaborated on Cruise’s advice, sharing, “If I look at it for long enough, the anxiety then can have a name. It can have a label or what will happen is, I’ll go: ‘Oh, you’re really jealous’ or ‘I’m really lonely’ or ‘I’m really intimidated by the talent or the confidence of that person.’ As soon as I can name what it actually is, the general sense of free-floating anxiety goes, and then I actually have an opportunity to do something about it.” This approach, which encourages confronting rather than avoiding anxiety, has been a game changer for Atwell.

The advice has clearly resonated with Atwell, who praised Cruise for being more than just a co-star. She described him as “very kind, very professional,” and expressed admiration for his ability to create an environment where others feel safe to experiment and thrive. “There was never a risk of failure or being unsafe. Tom really likes people to thrive on set,” Atwell said.

While Dead Reckoning may not have lived up to box office expectations, grossing $571 million globally, the on-screen chemistry between Atwell and Cruise was universally praised. Atwell’s role as Grace in Dead Reckoning marked her second major Hollywood franchise after her time as Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, further cementing her place in blockbuster films.

Atwell’s account of Cruise’s mentorship highlights not only his legendary status within the industry but also his genuine commitment to supporting those around him. His guidance on overcoming anxiety serves as an inspiring reminder that, sometimes, the best way to conquer our fears is by staring them down directly.