Tom Cruise praises Ana de Armas, and he’s not being subtle about it.
The Mission: Impossible star had nothing but love for Ana’s new film, Ballerina, the John Wick spinoff hitting theaters June 4. While on the red carpet at the Mission: Impossible, The Final Reckoning premiere in London, Cruise was caught on camera giving his stamp of approval. Standing next to Spanish actor Javier Ibarreche, he smiled and said, “I just saw the movie-it kicks ass.” That one-liner is now fueling major hype around de Armas’ first big action lead, and fans are loving the support from Cruise.
But this shoutout isn’t coming out of nowhere. Tom and Ana have been spotted together multiple times over the past few months, sparking rumors that there’s more than just friendship, or even just one movie, going on. Back in February, they were first seen grabbing dinner in London with their agents. Sources said the meet-up was all about “discussing potential collaborations,” but that was just the start.
Since then, the duo has been out and about together on more than one occasion. On May 3, they were seen leaving David Beckham’s 50th birthday bash in the same car. They also spent time walking and chatting in a London park on Ana’s 37th birthday, all smiles as their security team trailed behind. The vibe? Very relaxed, very familiar, and very much giving “we’re cooking something big.”
That something big was confirmed by Ana de Armas herself. On her May 15 appearance on Good Morning America, she opened up about her next steps. When co-host Michael Strahan mentioned rumors that she was working with “another big star” and “a stunt master,” he didn’t beat around the bush and asked if that person was Cruise. De Armas didn’t hesitate. “We’re definitely working on a lot of things. Not just one but a few projects with Doug Liman and Christopher McQuarrie and, of course, Tom. And I’m so excited,” she said.
That little “of course, Tom” speaks volumes. These aren’t just casual projects. Both Liman and McQuarrie are massive names, Liman directed Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow and American Made, while McQuarrie has practically become Cruise’s go-to guy for the Mission: Impossible films. In Hollywood-speak, that means Cruise is investing in Ana as a long-term action partner, not just a one-time co-star.
And she’s more than ready for it. Ana’s role in Ballerina is already turning heads. The movie spins off from the world of John Wick, with Ana leading the action for the first time in her career. Fans are eager to see her take on a physically intense role after proving her range in everything from Knives Out to No Time to Die. With Keanu Reeves backing her in this one and now Tom Cruise hyping it up, the movie’s buzz is off the charts.
Meanwhile, Cruise is also backing another familiar face, Brad Pitt. At the same red carpet where he hyped Ana’s film, he also gave props to Pitt’s upcoming racing movie, F1, calling it a “fun movie.” In that film, Pitt plays a retired driver who returns to Formula 1 to race with a fictional team called APXGP. So, between hyping Pitt and linking up with Ana, Cruise is giving everyone a reminder: he knows good cinema when he sees it.
With Mission: Impossible, The Final Reckoning set to hit theaters on May 23 and Ballerina dropping on June 4, the timing of all these public appearances, shoutouts, and joint outings feels more strategic than spontaneous. Tom Cruise praising Ana de Armas might seem like a friendly nod, but it’s also a sign that these two are gearing up to become Hollywood’s next big action duo, and they want us all to know it.
