Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible Co-Star Simon Pegg Won’t Ever Discuss Scientology With Him, Says It’s An Abuse Of “Privileged Access”
If someone had told you that Simon Pegg would a) join the Mission: Impossible series and b) become friends with Tom Cruise during the time of Spaced and Shaun of the Dead, would you have believed them? Both things, however, have happened.
Then again, these friends and co-stars may have a lot to discuss. And even things that they ‘avoid’ talking about?
The 60-year-old actor is someone who Simon Pegg considers to be a friend, but they don’t talk about the actor’s spiritual beliefs. The Star Trek Beyond actor admitted to Lauren Laverne on the latest episode of BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs that he actively avoids bringing up Cruise’s affiliation with the Church of Scientology.
Cruise and Pegg previously worked together on four Mission: Impossible films prior to its seventh installment, Dead Reckoning: Part One, which will be released on July 12.
Simon Pegg Discusses His ‘Amiable’ Friendship With Tom Cruise
A simple conversation with Tom Cruise is one of the most fascinating experiences in the world, (which the majority of us will never get to have). Even if no one in the room does or says anything, simply being in the same room with him would rank among the average person’s top ten experiences. Isn’t it?
Simon Pegg is not an ordinary person, however, as he is one of the fortunate few, who frequently interacts with Tom Cruise. And he briefly discussed this encounter on the BBC radio program, Desert Island Discs.
Pegg described his friendship with Cruise as “very simple and amiable,” which sounds like the best that can be said for someone as enigmatic as the 60-year-old star. But Pegg knows how to keep their amicable friendship going.
So the key is: there is one topic that the two have agreed to keep off-limits.
When asked if he speaks with Cruise about his Church of Scientology beliefs, Pegg responded that he does not because doing so would “abuse my privileged access that I get to him.”
They Have Always Had ‘A Very Easy Relationship’
In the same interview, Simon Pegg also admitted that he occasionally “makes fun” of Tom Cruise’s stardom for the advantages and special treatment that come with his level of notoriety.
“We joke about it. I mean, I always make fun of him for it, you know, about the things that he can access… he kind of appreciates the ridiculousness of it sometimes.”
It has “always been a very easy relationship,” he continued, describing his friendship with the Jerry Maguire actor.
“I think you realise, when you meet the person rather than the thicket of mythology that’s built up around them, it’s a different experience. I mean, he loves [the fame] and he really relishes it, it’s all he knows. It energises him and spurs him on.”
Pegg continued by saying that it is “all he knows” and that doing it “energizes him and spurs him on,” which is a big part of what makes Cruise seem like such an interesting person to be around.
Well, how does it feel to not be “on” if he lives for fame? Perhaps even, Simon Pegg doesn’t seem to know the exact answer to that.
Source – BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs
