Hannah Waddingham and Tom Cruise.Photo:Robin L Marshall/WireImage; Mike Coppola/WireImage

Robin L Marshall/WireImage; Mike Coppola/WireImage
Hannah Waddinghamis inTom Cruise’s corner.
Waddingham, 49, appeared on the British cooking showJames Martin’s Saturday Morningfor its special Christmas Day episode on Monday, where she touched on working with Cruise, 61, on the upcoming eighth installment of theMission: Impossiblefranchise.
“I have to say, I have a real problem with anybody that goes at [Cruise] now,” Waddingham said, after noting she has yet to complete filming for additional scenes in the film. “Having met him and spent five days intensely, on [a U.S. aircraft carrier during filming]… Five days, no fineries, all of us mucking in for five days.”
“He is, without doubt, one of the loveliest and encouraging, positive and inspiring human beings I have ever met. Isn’t he gorgeous?" she told host James Martin. “I have no time for anyone saying anything about him.”
Cruise has been filming the newMission: Impossiblefilmonboard a U.S. aircraft carrier, which Waddingham identified as theUSS George H.W. Bush, dating back to at least March of this year, per reports fromVariety. Cruise, Waddingham andMission: ImpossibledirectorChristopher McQuarriewere on board the aircraft carrier on March 3, per a Navypress releaseissued March 9.
Tom Cruise in ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning - Part One’.Christian Black/Paramount Pictures

It is unclear what role Waddingham will play in the upcoming movie, which expects to directly follow up on the conflict between Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and villain Gabriel (Esai Morales), who are at odds over ownership of a key that unlocks control to a supremely powerful artificial intelligence system referred to as the Entity in the movie.
The nextMission: Impossiblewas scheduled to release in June 2024, but this year’s months-longHollywood actors strikeresulted in delays that will ultimatelypush the film’s release backto May 2025.
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Waddingham’s praise of Cruise echoes whatHayley Atwell, who joined theMission: Impossiblefranchise for its most recent release, told PEOPLE of working with the action star back in July.
Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning - Part One’.Paramount Pictures/Skydance

“[Cruise’s] reputation precedes him with actresses in that he makes them feel very safe, very seen, really respected,” Atwell said at the time. “He loves people to thrive, he loves intelligent women. He wants people to engage and be part of this process. And so when I read with him on the screen test, it already felt like we were workshopping it.”
source: people.com