Shea Whigham put in a request for a scene with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 8

Shea Whigham requested a scene with Tom Cruise in 'Mission: Impossible 8'.

The 55-year-old actor reprises his role as Jasper Briggs in the eighth movie in the action franchise and explained that he urged director Christopher McQuarrie to include a scene between his character and Cruise's Ethan Hunt.

Shea told The Hollywood Reporter: "I said to Christopher McQuarrie on ('Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning'): 'I don't want a bigger trailer. I don't want more money. I don't want better catering. I just want one scene between Tom and I, where you, McQ, write it like 'The Usual Suspects', and we get a chance to get in there.' And he delivered."

The 'Boardwalk Empire' actor was invited to dinner by Cruise after they had worked on the scene and the Hollywood legend explained that production was far from complete.

Whigham said: "We did this scene between Tom and myself, and then Tom said, 'We're going to go out to dinner.' So we went out to dinner when I was done, and then Tom said, 'Do you realise that we come out one year from today? And it's going to be a sprint to finish the f****** thing.'

"What he's doing now, people are going to be floored. He wants to make this one like an adventure film, and he and McQuarrie have an idea of what they want to do with it. So it's going to be amazing."

Hannah Waddingham has been cast in the upcoming action picture – which is due to be released in May 2025 – and praised Cruise for being "gorgeous" to work with.

Speaking to Deadline earlier this year, the 'Ted Lasso' star said: "He's a fabulous person, great to work with.

"It's hilarious to be fractionally vilified for saying something nice. What have we become if we can't say something nice? He's gorgeous, as is Chris McQuarrie, the director."