Thandie Newton's 'MI2' Tom Cruise story is full of twists and turns

Thandie Newton is a force to be reckoned with onscreen, with impressive work in the likes of Beloved, Mission: Impossible 2, The Pursuit of Happyness, Solo: A Star Wars Story and, of course, her Emmy-award winning role on HBO’s Westworld. And now? She’s opening up, naming names and detailing her sometimes-harrowing experiences amongst Hollywood’s elite, including a truly wild Tom Cruise tale.

Newton’s interview with Vulture's E. Alex Jung starts out by noting that, as outspoken as she has been throughout her career, “there are still stories she’s been holding off on telling.” Apparently, she was just waiting for the right moment—and it looks like that moment is now.

Fans likely know that Newton starred alongside Tom Cruise in 2000 for Mission: Impossible 2. But what many didn’t know (until now) is what it was like for her to work alongside the notoriously intense actor. And, well, her story will likely surprise you.

she also told me a tom cruise story so funny that you're just going to have to click through for it https://t.co/I4ccg4V7Ke

— E. Alex Jung (@e_alexjung) July 7, 2020

When asked why she didn’t do another Mission Impossible movie, Newton replied, “Oh, I was never asked. I was so scared of Tom. He was a very dominant individual. He tries superhard to be a nice person. But the pressure. He takes on a lot. And I think he has this sense that only he can do everything as best as it can be done.”

thandie newton telling this tom cruise story ....... yes i’ll be thinking about it for a long time https://t.co/6ogIkWnvXw pic.twitter.com/uAiAu1cMjg

— positive attitude hunter™️ (@hunteryharris) July 7, 2020

Newton went on to describe one scene in particular in which she and Cruise (and a rapidly-developing pimple on his nose, apparently) came to a head. “There was one time, we were doing this night scene, there were so many extras with pyrotechnics and you name it, and it was a scene with him and me on the balcony. And I don’t think it was a very well-written scene. I get angry with him. We’re frustrated with each other. And we’re looking out over Spain. It wasn’t going well."

[video_embed id='1763185']RELATED: Thandie Newton explores our obsession with people who work in the movie industry[/video_embed]Newton explained that she was given “sh***y lines,” and that Cruise, in his frustration, suggested they rehearse on-camera and switch roles. “So we filmed the entire scene with me being him — because, believe me, I knew the lines by then — and him playing me”, said Newton. “And it was the most unhelpful … I can’t think of anything less revealing. It just pushed me further into a place of terror and insecurity. It was a real shame. And bless him. And I really do mean bless him, because he was trying his damnedest.”Hilariously, the Westworld actress remembers that Cruise had a "slight red mark" on his nose at the beginning of the night, and by the end of the unsuccessful scene, he had a "big whitehead where the dot was.""It would take anyone else 48 hours to manifest a zit. I saw it growing, and it was like the zit was me, just getting bigger and bigger," she recalled.Cruise is certainly known for his single-minded focus both on and off-screen, so perhaps Newton’s experience should come as no surprise. Not to mention, the Mission Impossible sequel was a big project, with an appropriately big budget, and he was clearly feeling the pressure. “He just wanted this alpha b***h," said Newton about eventually reshooting the scene and figuring out how to approach it. "And I did as best as I could. It’s not the best way to get the best work out of someone."

Despite that cringe-worthy scene, Newton insisted that Cruise "wasn’t horrible," and that she had an "extraordinary time" filming the movie. Cruise was just, simply put, really stressed. She also noted that it was his then-wife, Nicole Kidman, who got her the job, and noted that the Top Gun actor even gifted her with a Scientology book at Christmas.

During her interview, Newton also addressed incidents of sexual assault, Hollywood toxicity, feeling that with a Black mom and white dad she didn't fit in anywhere ("I want Black people to feel they can trust me and feel safe with me — that I’m not a representative of this Establishment that degrades people of color. All my f******g career, I felt like, to Black people, I’m not a legitimate Black person.") and systemic racism, recalling a racially-charged encounter with former Sony Pictures head Amy Pascal that caused her to turn down a role in Charlie’s Angels.

Thandie Newton DGAF about the toxic business she works in (and I haven't even screenshotted the insane Tom Cruise anecdote at the end): https://t.co/0oGnKN5xe8 pic.twitter.com/tDpx1y5tsF

— Alan Sepinwall (@sepinwall) July 7, 2020

During a meeting, Pascal allegedly said to Newton,“Look, I don’t mean to be politically incorrect, but the character as written and you playing the role, I just feel like we’ve got to make sure that it’s believable.” When Newton asked what she meant by that, Pascal said, “Well, you know, the character, as written, she’s been to university and is educated.” When Thandie reminded Pascal that she herself was educated and had been to Cambridge, the studio head apparently went on to list a number of racially-driven stereotypes to "make her more convincing as a Black character."

“Let’s face it," said Newton. “I didn’t do the movie as a result.” After Thandie turned it down, the role ultimately went to Lucy Liu.In a statement quoted by Vulture, Pascal said she was "horrified" to hear that's how Newton recalled their meeting and had no "recollection of the events she describes."Though Newton goes on to describe further troubling experiences from sexual assault, microaggressions and on-set mistreatment, she said there's still plenty she's not saying."I’ve got my little black book, which will be published on my deathbed. I’m not doing it when I’m alive. I don’t want to deal with all the fallout and everyone getting their side of the story. There is no side of the story when you’re sexually abused. You give that up."[video_embed id='1763185']RELATED: Thandie Newton explores our obsession with people who work in the movie industry[/video_embed]