Tom Cruise arrived by helicopter, donated his shoes, and filmed a lightsaber duel for "Star Wars: Starfighter."

Tom Cruise Arrived by Helicopter, Donated Shoes, and Filmed a Lightsaber Duel for "Star Wars: Starfighter"

In a conversation with The New York Times, director Shawn Levy shared an intriguing fact about working on the movie "Star Wars: Starfighter," which audiences will see on May 28, 2027. Contributing unexpectedly to the story about Ryan Gosling in a galaxy far, far away was none other than Tom Cruise himself. Though he didn't wield a lightsaber or blaster, he did step behind the camera.

Tom Cruise stood ankle-deep in mud and pond water. He looked extremely focused, leaning over a digital camera, trying to capture the perfect shot. Shawn Levy glanced around with slight disbelief. Partially, this was because he was on the set of his own "Star Wars" movie, "Star Wars: Starfighter," starring Ryan Gosling. And partially due to the continuous influx of celebrities. "Last week, Steven Spielberg was here. And now Tom Cruise is holding a camera, ruining his beautiful shoes."

It was a chilly November morning, and Cruise had flown in from nearby London, landing his helicopter on set while the crew played the "Mission: Impossible" theme over loudspeakers. Cruise just wanted to watch, he told them, but Levy, preparing a lightsaber duel scene in water, jokingly suggested the star take one of the cameras. But then Cruise appeared, stepping into the muddy pond and holding the camera like a pro.

"Now, when you watch the film," Levy said (it's set to release in 2027), "you'll know that part of it was shot by Tom. Isn't that cool?"

NYT

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Cover — Max Miechowski / NYT