Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible love interests — where are they now?

Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible franchise has kept fans hooked for nearly thirty years. 

While he was taking on dare-devil stunts and spending decades saving the world, Ethan Hunt was often accompanied by many iconic leading ladies. 

Here's a closer look at the most memorable love interests, their career before the franchise and where they are now.

Emmanuelle Béart as Claire Phelps in Mission: Impossible 1 (1996)

By the time Emmanuelle, 62, joined the original Mission: Impossible film in 1996 as Claire, she was already a recognized French actress, known for films like Manon des Sources (1986) and La Belle Noiseuse (1991.

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Since then, Emmanuelle has remained a prominent figure in French cinema, starring in over 60 films and TV projects. She has received multiple César Award nominations and won Best Supporting Actress early in her career. Beyond acting, she is an advocate for humanitarian causes, including her work with UNICEF, and remains an ever-present in international cinema today.

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Thandiwe Newton as Nyah Nordoff‑Hall in Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

At the time of Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), Thandiwe Newton, 53, was a rising talent, known mostly in Britain for supporting film roles such as Beloved (1998).

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Since then, Thandiwe's career has soared. She earned an Emmy Award for her performance as Maeve Millay in Westworld (2016-2022) and has appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), 2012 (2009) and Netflix's Wednesday (2022) to name a few.

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Michelle Monaghan as Julia Meade in Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

Michelle, 49, was relatively known for films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) when she appeared as Julia Meade in Mission: Impossible III (2006).

After the film's release Michelle's career exploded across film and television. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for True Detective (2014), appeared in rom-coms like The Family Plan (2023), and The Best of Me (2014), and had a role in Mike White's acclaimed The White Lotus (2024).

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Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust in Mission: Impossible 5 and 6 (2015 & 2018)

Rebecca, 42, was also relatively unknown internationally before Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (2015), having appeared in Swedish and British productions previously such as The White Queen (2013).

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Her role as Ilsa immediately established her as a global star, she has since portrayed Lady Jessica in Dune (2021) and stars in Silo (Since 2013). She featured once again as Ilsa in Mission: Impossible Fallout in 2018 and Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One in 2023, cementing her as one of the franchise's most iconic characters. Rebecca's career demonstrates her acting ability and spans many genres from sci-fi action films to period dramas.

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Hayley Atwell as Grace in Mission: Impossible 7 & 8 (2023 & 2025)

By the time Hayley Atwell, 43, joined the franchise as Grace in 2023, she was already well-established, especially within the action genre. She gained fame as Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe starting with Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and also demonstrated her talent by featuring in period films such as The Duchess (2008) and Brideshead Revisited (2008). Hayley continued her role as Grace in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (No. 8) which was the conclusion to the multi decade franchise that had viewers hooked for years.

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