Sydney Sweeney has emulated Tom Cruise's iconic aerial stunts, sharing a video on Instagram of herself performing a daring maneuver on a biplane. The "Euphoria" actress captioned the post with "watch out Tom Cruise," signaling her own foray into high-flying action.
In the clip, Sweeney is seen standing on the wing of a yellow biplane, equipped with safety goggles and a vest securing her to the aircraft. At one point, the plane executes an inverted flight, with Sweeney remaining in position and smiling for the camera. The stunt drew a comment from the official Instagram account for Cruise's "Top Gun" franchise, which posted "Feel the need for speed."
Fans reacted enthusiastically to Sweeney's performance, with many praising her bravery. Some comments suggested she was ready for a role in the "Mission Impossible" series, a franchise for which Cruise is known for performing his own dangerous stunts.
Cruise famously performed a similar wing-walking stunt in "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning." In that film, his character, Ethan Hunt, dangles from the wing of a biplane during a fight sequence. Cruise has previously described the physical toll of such stunts, noting that the "Mission: Impossible" wing-walking scene "almost broke my back." He also revealed that he experienced passing out due to a lack of oxygen while filming the demanding scene, which involved flying at speeds over 120 miles per hour.
Cruise has often spoken about his commitment to performing his own stunts, stating in a 2023 interview that it is "never the easy road." He believes he has a "responsibility to audiences, the studio, my crew, my cast and industry" to maintain the integrity of the storytelling through authentic action sequences.
More recently, Cruise executed a complex stunt sequence for the Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony. This involved jumping from the Stade de France, riding a motorcycle, boarding a plane near the Eiffel Tower, and culminating in a skydive to Los Angeles to attach Olympic rings to the Hollywood sign. These elaborate stunts underscore Cruise's reputation for pushing the boundaries of practical filmmaking and performance.