Tom Cruise Stands by His COVID-19 Rant to 'Mission: Impossible 7' Crew Members

Tom Cruise will not apologize for taking COVID-19 protocols seriously. Last December, the 58-year-old actor was recorded yelling at the Mission: Impossible 7 crew in England about the importance of following safety rules implemented amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In audio released by The Sun, Cruise, who also serves as the film’s producer, goes off on staff members at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden after "spotting two crew [members] standing within two meters of each other."

During an interview with Empire magazine, Cruise addresses the moment that went viral. "I said what I said,” he says in defense of his actions. "There was a lot at stake at that point."

The action star clarifies to the magazine that he wasn’t shouting in front of the "entire crew,” but rather asked that some staff members leave the set so that he might reprimand a "select people" for their behavior.

"All those emotions were going through my mind. I was thinking about the people I work with, and my industry,” Cruise admits. "And for the whole crew to know that we’d started rolling on a movie was just a huge relief."

The A-list star was clearly emotional in the recording that went viral.

"They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us. I'm on the phone with every f**king studio at night, insurance companies, producers…They are looking at us and using us to make their movies," he's heard saying. "We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherf**kers."

"If I see you do it again, you’re f**king gone. And if anyone on this crew does it, that’s it — and you too and you too. And you, don’t you ever f**king do it again," Cruise continues yelling. "That’s it. No apologies. You can tell it to the people that are losing their f**king homes because our industry is shut down."

Cruise can now joke about the moment. "And here we are, continuing to film,” he notes to Empire, adding that he's available for "Zoom parties and kids’ parties also!"

The actor also confirms that despite the drama on set, his latest Mission: Impossible movie is on schedule to arrive in theaters May 2022.

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