Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, potentially marking Tom Cruise’s last performance as Ethan Hunt, delivers a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled story that honors the franchise’s three-decade history while introducing new elements, such as a rogue AI threatening humanity. Holt McCallany, who portrays Secretary of Defense Serling Bernstein, shares insights into working closely with Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie, shedding light on the intense creative process behind the film.
Adapting to Rapid Changes on Set with Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie
The Mission: Impossible movies are known for their unpredictable storylines, where Ethan Hunt and his team face constant surprises requiring immediate decisions. This unpredictability is mirrored on set, where actors must frequently adjust to last-minute changes. Holt McCallany described how Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie often rewrote dialogue in the middle of filming, sometimes delaying scenes for hours to accommodate new ideas.
Tom and Chris work super closely together, so sometimes you’ll be set to shoot a scene and the assistant editor will come over to you and say, ‘Hey wait a beat. Tom and Chris are reworking some of the dialogue,’
Holt McCallany revealed.
Maybe a couple of hours will go by,
he shared,
and then they’ll come with new pages.
McCallany was prepared for such challenges, explaining his ability to quickly adapt stems from his extensive acting experience.
Fortunately for me, I’m a quick study,
he said.
I’ve been doing this a long time … after many, many years, I can read something a couple of times and know it, if I’ve made choices about who the guy is.
He also emphasized the clarity he received from Christopher McQuarrie about his character’s role.
Chris was very clear with me about how he envisioned the character,
McCallany said,
why he thought I was the right guy, and how I was going to contribute to the narrative.
The actor highlighted the importance of flexibility and presence on set.
So, I didn’t mind; you’ve got to roll with the punches.
He added,
You’ve got to be light on your toes,
continuing,
You’ve got to be flexible, and you’ve got to be able to move … hopefully, if you do that, you’ll find moments that really work and are memorable, that the director is going to see in the editing room and say ‘That moment has to be in the movie.’
McCallany reflected positively on those collaborative moments:
I had a few of those,
he said,
and I was really happy about that.
The Complexity of Secretary of Defense Bernstein’s Role
McCallany’s character, Secretary of Defense Serling Bernstein, plays the skeptic wary of Ethan Hunt’s unpredictable tactics. Describing Bernstein’s outlook, McCallany noted, “He’s the skeptic.” The official doubts Tom Cruise’s character, perceiving him as reckless and not entirely trustworthy.
He’s a guy who sees Tom’s character as kind of a cowboy–as somebody that shouldn’t be completely trusted. He’s very suspicious of Tom, so he questions his motives, his ideas, and everything that he intends to do.
Despite this distrust, Bernstein is willing to acknowledge when he is proven wrong, a trait McCallany appreciated portraying.
But he’s also a big enough guy to be able to admit when he has been proven wrong.
One key scene toward the film’s end highlights this recognition:
I liked the fact that Christopher included that.
McCallany recalled,
where I say ‘He did it. The son of a b**** actually did it.’
This line, he revealed, was written late in the production process.
McCallany emphasized the necessity of agility and trust during filming, crediting McQuarrie’s creative instincts.
This is what I mean about staying light on your toes,
he said,
and … trusting Christopher McQuarrie and his tremendous talent. If you give yourself over to that, you’re going to find little moments that are really fertile dramatic territory to explore.
The director’s iterative approach continued even in scenes’ final stages.
Sometimes [Chris will] get an idea and say, ‘Hey, Holt, I just thought of something. Try one like this and it’ll perhaps be something very different than we [were] doing a moment ago.’ And suddenly he’ll go, ‘You know what? That’s it. I love that. Let’s go with that.’
McCallany expressed hope that working with McQuarrie would continue beyond this film:
I was grateful to Chris, and I hope that Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning won’t be our last collaboration.
Holt McCallany’s Gratitude for Joining a Legendary Franchise
For Holt McCallany, joining the Mission: Impossible franchise was especially meaningful, as it represents one of Hollywood’s most iconic series. He reflected on his career trajectory and the satisfaction of achieving this milestone.
As a guy that had kind of toiled away over many years working my way up the ladder,
McCallany admitted,
when you start to get calls from people like Christopher McQuarrie saying, ‘Hey, Tom Cruise and I would really like you to come work with us on the final installment of Mission: Impossible,’ it’s gratifying.
The actor acknowledged the long wait before landing such a significant role. “There were many years,” he said, quoting a wise statement about success,
when I wasn’t getting those kinds of calls. It took some time, but better late than never. And a wise man once said that the most important thing is not how long it takes a man to get to his destination; the most important thing is that he gets there.
He described the sweeter satisfaction of success attained after years of perseverance.
And sometimes, when success comes a little later in life, it’s sweeter in a way because you get to feel like you earned it.
You worked for it, McCallany added,
you waited for it, you sweated for it. And now you’re there on one of the biggest movies in the world with one of the biggest movie stars in the world and with one of the best writer-directors in the world.
If that’s not success, it’s going to have to do until the real thing comes along.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is currently available on digital platforms, extending the legacy of the franchise and offering viewers an intense, thrilling conclusion that showcases Tom Cruise’s enduring dedication to his role as Ethan Hunt.
