Annabelle Wallis Reveals Tom Cruise’s ‘No-Run’ Rule—and How She Became the Only Co-Star to Break It

Tom Cruise has long cemented his status as an action star, often recognized for his adrenaline-fueled scenes in Mission: Impossible, Jack Reacher, and Top Gun. Known for running at high speed across rooftops, cliffs, and city streets, fans may have noticed that Cruise is almost always running solo. The reason? His The Mummy co-star, Annabelle Wallis, reveals a glimpse into the “no-run” rule Cruise enforces on set.

In an interview with The Independent, Wallis shared, “I got to run on-screen with him, but he told me no at first. He said, ‘Nobody runs on-screen [with me],’ and I said, ‘But I’m a really good runner.’” Determined, Wallis cleverly found a way to change Cruise’s mind. “I would time my treadmill so that he’d walk in and see me run,” she explained. Eventually, Cruise agreed, making Wallis the only co-star to run alongside him on-screen. She was thrilled: “It was, like, better than an Oscar. I was so happy! I was so happy that I got to run on-screen with Tom Cruise.”

While Wallis remains the exception, Cruise has notably kept other actors from joining his high-speed runs in films. From Vanilla Sky to Minority Report and throughout the Mission: Impossible series, Cruise runs alone, attributing it to his unmatched speed. The secret, he suggests, is simple—no one else can keep up. Fans love these sequences, and they contribute to his movies’ success at the box office.

Interestingly, data from Rotten Tomatoes highlights that Cruise’s on-screen running may indeed correlate with box office performance. Films in which he runs for less than 500 feet, like A Few Good Men and Rain Man, bring in around $113 million, with an average 59.2% audience approval. In movies where he runs closer to 1,000 feet, such as Vanilla Sky and Collateral, the earnings jump to $413 million, with a 66.7% audience rating. In films where Cruise exceeds 1,000 feet, like Minority Report and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, the numbers skyrocket to $471 million, with a 76% approval rating.

These stats reveal that his intense, action-packed sequences resonate deeply with fans. From leaping off cliffs to performing life-threatening stunts, Cruise’s commitment to action defines his career. After nearly 40 years in Hollywood, Cruise remains an unparalleled action star who continues to captivate audiences worldwide with his high-energy performances, often running alone to the applause of fans who can’t get enough of his cinematic feats.