Hayley Atwell, who stars in the upcoming “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” is speaking out about rumors of a secret romance with Tom Cruise.
The British actress, who’s engaged to music producer Ned Wolfgang Kelly, described the gossip during the filming of the seventh installment of the action franchise as “upsetting.”
“I would be like, ‘Ooh, there’s some weird rumors, and it feels base, it feels a little dirty, it feels grubby, it’s not what I’m about,’” she told The Independent. “Why are things being assumed or projected onto me about my relationship with my work colleague and boss?”
Atwell, 41, particularly took umbrage to the scuttlebutt because she viewed Cruise — who is 61 — and director Chris McQuarrie (aka McQ) as “uncle figures.” The speculation, she added, has an impact on people in her “personal life, who are subject to being on the receiving end of that. It becomes invasive.”
Atwell confessed she sought counsel from the iconic superstar, who has been a magnet for rumors throughout most of his career. The “Risky Business” actor offered some sage advice, she said.
“When I’ve talked to him about it, he’d be like, ‘You know exactly who you are. You know what you’re about. And that is the only thing that matters. It doesn’t matter what people think of you, if you are in integrity with yourself, if you know what your value system is,’” Atwell said.
For the seventh “M.I.” Atwell portrays a master thief and possible romantic partner for IMF agent Ethan Hunt, played by Cruise since 1996.
The Golden Globe Award nominee previously starred as Peggy Carter in six Marvel movies, most notably 2022′s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One ″ arrives in theaters Wednesday.
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