On the set of "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning," Tom Cruise wasn't the solitary standout in the realm of daring stunts. During a recent visit to "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Hayley Atwell shared an astonishing revelation: she was nearly nine months pregnant while filming one of the movie's intense combat sequences.
"As we revisited this fight sequence multiple times to incorporate additional elements, I was actually eight and a half months pregnant in this particular footage," Atwell disclosed to Fallon, just before the clip unfolded on screen. "I'm absolutely serious!" The "Agent Carter" actress emphasized that "everyone was incredibly supportive," even suggesting that a stunt double could take her place to conclude the scene. However, Atwell was insistent on executing the stunt herself.
"I must confess, I was pampered and supported beyond measure," she reminisced. "They kindly offered, 'Oh, you can sit this one out and let a stunt double handle it,' but I replied, 'No way, I've put in too much effort, let me do it myself!' And so, I did, and here it is for all to see."
Moreover, while filming "The Final Reckoning" in Norway, Atwell and her fellow cast members acquired a remarkable skill: dogsledding. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she vividly described dog sledding in the Arctic as "invigorating, empowering, mind-bendingly surreal." Their shoot was even temporarily halted when a polar bear casually "strolled across the set."
"We had to cease filming because a polar bear wandered onto the set—it's something I never thought I'd utter," she exclaimed. "We resided on an icebreaker ship, playing cards by night and dining together. Cultivating a strong rapport and teamwork was crucial, ensuring we could trust one another on the treacherous ice."
