Tom Cruise has a surprisingly major Olympics role to play. And no, not in a movie.
Athletics are the primary spectacle of the Olympics. From Katy Ledecky and Simone Biles setting records and beyond, people are there to root for their nations in the competition.
But the Olympics are also a triumphant performance, embodied by magnificent Opening Ceremonies. Yes, even if some weird people spin conspiracy theories about them.
The Closing Ceremony is also a big deal. And Tom Cruise will play a key role in passing the torch to the next host city.
The 2024 Olympics will close out on August 11
A number of celebrities have been attending the 2024 Olympics in Paris. In some cases, they are sponsoring athletes.
From Flavor Flav sponsoring Team USA’s water polo to Snoop Dog providing commentary (with help from his emotional support Martha Stewart for dressage because he is “afraid of horses“), the Olympic Games are a hotbed of celebrity sightings.
Some are just there to watch as fans and cheer on America’s greatest athletes.
Tom Cruise, however, will be making a major appearance — not during the games, but during the closing ceremony.
On August 11, the Closing Ceremony will take place in Paris. This will include the symbolic Olympic handover to pave the way for the 2028 summer games.
In 2028, the Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles, California. While this will be a miserable time for actual residents of LA County, it is of course an honor for the United States.
What is Tom Cruise doing at the Paris Olympics?
Tom Cruise will take part of the ceremonial Olympic handover. The 62-year-old actor will be And he’s going all out for it.
He’s appeared in the stands during the games themselves, often seated next to Warner Bros. Discovery villain David Zaslav. And now we know what he’s doing there.
TMZ reports that Tom Cruise is planning a spectacular stunt for the handoff. He is, famously (or infamously) a fan of doing stunts.
According to TMZ‘s report, Tom Cruise’s plans include rappelling down from the top of Stade de France (which is 115 feet in height) before he lands on the stadium field carrying the flag of the Olympics.
The actual broadcast will then display video showing Tom’s journey on an airplane as he travels from Paris to Los Angeles. That will end with him skydiving down to an iconic landmark: the Hollywood sign.
TMZ noted that Cruise recorded this back in March on a seemingly random Saturday morning. At the time, his team assumed that people would notice him and figure out what he was up to. But we live in chaotic times, so this is the first that the news has become public.
From Paris to LA!
Beyond that, we don’t know much about the closing ceremony. Everyone (except apparent leaker) works hard to ensure that details remain under wraps.
Officially, we know that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will receive the Olympic flag from Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
How that happens (with Cruise as an apparent intermediary during the ceremony) will be fun for us all to find out.