Tom Cruise and co-star Hayley Atwell closer than ever in intimate appearance

Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell appeared closer than ever as they hit the red carpet for the US premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

Top Gun star Cruise, 62, returns to the franchise as Ethan Hunt, this time hellbent on stopping a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity.

Atwell, 43, returns to the franchise as Grace, a master pickpocket whom we first met in 2023’s Dead Reckoning.

Despite being at odds onscreen, Cruise and Atwell put on an intimate display on the red carpet, pictured leaning their heads against each other.

They both appeared calm with their eyes closed, taking in the moment while their castmates smiled alongside them.

Cruise and Atwell, who both wore coordinating black outfits for the occasion, were seen laughing heartily, with Atwell’s arm resting on Cruise’s shoulder.

It was previously rumoured that Cruise and Atwell dated before she began a relationship with music producer Ned Wolfgang Kelly.

However, Agent Carter star Atwell rubbished the claims and said Cruise is more like an ‘uncle’ to her.

She told The Independent: ‘Why are things being assumed or projected onto me about my relationship with my work colleague and boss?

‘It’s involving people in my actual life, my personal life, who have to be on the receiving end of that. It becomes invasive.’

Cruise is currently rumoured to be dating Knives Out star Ana De Armas after the pair were spotted on a string of outings together, including David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash.

Despite neither of them confirming the rumours, the Blonde actor, 37, recently opened up about Cruise for the first time on Good Morning America.

‘And I hear you’re working with another big star, he’s a stunt master himself, Tom Cruise,’ interviewer Michael Strahan began.’On another project that’s gonna lead you to do some other crazy stunts?’

‘What do you think?’, she replied, bursting out laughing, to which he joked: ‘You didn’t get enough with Ballerina? You’re asking for more?’

‘It’s so much fun,’ De Armas said of taking on various risky challenges in the world of action movies.

‘We’re definitely working on a lot of things, not just one, but a few projects, with (directors) Doug Liman and Christopher McQuarrie’ she continued.

The actors were first seen on a night out in London in February, an insider told People that they were at dinner with their agents to ‘discuss potential collaborations down the line’.

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