Movie star Tom Cruise pulled off an ambitious stunt sequence during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics to help pass the Olympic flag to the next host city, Los Angeles. Cruise descended from the roof of the Stade de France stadium before motorcycling through a video segment to unveil the Hollywood sign showing the Olympic rings. The sequence allowed audiences to symbolically travel from Paris to Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Games.
LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman recently discussed Cruise’s involvement at an event. According to Wasserman, Cruise insisted on performing all elements of the dangerous stunts himself without a stunt double. He also did not want payment for his work.
Cruise had just finished filming the latest Mission: Impossible movie in London when he took on the Olympics challenge. Wasserman said Cruise landed in Los Angeles at 4 a.m. after a long flight and immediately started filming. He performed multiple jumps that day and demanded a second take when unsatisfied with his first try. Cruise then helictoptered to the Hollywood Hills for several hours of filming before flying back to London that same day.
TV producer Ben Winston, who helped produce the sequence, said there is “no better collaborator” than Cruise. According to Winston, Cruise is willing to take bigger risks than anyone. The French team received praise for the overall closing ceremony from Wasserman. He said the event reminded viewers why they love the Olympics and highlighted French culture while teasing future Los Angeles plans. The ceremony ended with a concert by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in Long Beach, setting the stage for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
