Not only can Tom Cruise do his own stunts, but he’s pretty good at giving pep talks, too. At least, according to his Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One co-star, Hayley Atwell. While appearing on the Reign With Josh Smith podcast in March 2025, Atwell revealed that she, like so many of us, struggles with social anxiety, which often overwhelms her and makes her want to retreat.

But she was saved by incredibly insightful advice from Tom Cruise, which she imparts to the audience. After describing him as a positive “hair dryer” just blowing his positive energy around, Josh asks, “What’s the best pep talk he’s given you?” Hayley answers, “Social anxiety tends to be something that people talk about a lot at the moment. It seems to be quite a buzzword of conversation.”

Hayley Atwell opens up about anxiety

They both agree that everyone has some version of anxiety, whether it’s in a big group of people, a new work environment, or even just around a small group of friends. In fact, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, social anxiety disorder affects approximately 15 million adults in the United States, making it one of the most common anxiety........

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