Tom Cruise can do it all. The legendary actor has starred in the Mission: Impossible franchise since 1996, and over the decades, he’s mastered a wide range of skills, allowing him to perform many of his own stunts, including flying a plane. To fuel up for the action, he starts with a seriously hearty breakfast.
In an interview with PEOPLE, the 62-year-old opened up about his stunt work. One of the most extreme? Wing walking - where he literally walks along the wing of a plane mid-flight.
It’s something Cruise remembers watching old footage of as a kid. With this possibly being the final film in the franchise, he decided it was time to make that childhood dream a reality.
When asked how he prepares for such intense stunts, his first answer was food. “I actually eat a massive breakfast,” he said. “The amount of energy it takes…” he added, explaining, “I train so hard for that wing-walking.”
His go-to meal is both impressive and indicative of his wealth bracket, considering the price of eggs. “I’ll eat, like, sausage and almost a dozen eggs and bacon and toast and coffee and fluids,” Cruise shared. “It’s cold up there. We’re at high altitude. My body is burning a lot.”
Cruise also spoke about his ongoing training in various skills that benefit him on-screen-like flying planes and helicopters, and parachuting. “I will learn a skill, and I know eventually I’m going to use it in a movie,” he said.
Lately, he’s been diving into dance. “The teachers understand how to move a body, what the shape does, and the emotion it can create in others.” He’s also taken up piano, which he calls “relaxing.”
The eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible series, The Final Reckoning, hits theaters May 23. Expect it to be epic: Cruise once again pilots the aircraft himself, and the film reportedly had a $400 million budget, making it one of the most expensive films ever made.
Tom Cruise is making headlines for another reason
While Cruise has begun promoting the highly anticipated film, he’s also made headlines for spending time with Ana de Armas. Though they’re reportedly just friends, the pair recently celebrated her 37th birthday together in London.
On Wednesday, they were spotted enjoying a helicopter ride-her dogs along for the adventure once again, per TMZ. Afterward, they grabbed a Mexican meal at KOL, a Michelin-starred hotspot in London’s Marylebone district -an ideal spot for a romantic birthday dinner. We will see how long they keep hanging out as "friends."