When faced with a sudden medical emergency in a remote location, most people would instinctively reach for a phone to call emergency services or a local doctor. For acclaimed actress Rebecca Ferguson, however, her first thought was to dial her former co-star, Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise, with an unusual request: a helicopter evacuation.
A Distress Call from Paradise
Ferguson, currently promoting her new thriller film Mercy, shared the remarkable anecdote during a recent interview with The Independent. The Swedish-born star, best known for her roles in the Mission: Impossible franchise and the Dune series, found herself in a precarious situation while visiting the idyllic Maldives islands.
"I called him once when I was in the Maldives when I had a really bad stomach," Ferguson revealed. "I was like, 'Can I get a helicopter?' It was quite a funny thing."
From Vacation to Medical Emergency
What began as a tropical getaway quickly turned concerning when Ferguson was struck down by what she initially feared might be "a big worm" but was later diagnosed as gastroenteritis. Isolated on an island with limited medical facilities, she faced the practical challenge of how to reach proper healthcare.
It was her husband, Rory St Clair Gainer, who suggested contacting their famous friend. "My husband was like, 'Tom can get a helicopter,'" Ferguson explained, acknowledging the unique resources available to one of Hollywood's most powerful figures.
The actress added with characteristic humour: "I actually had gastroenteritis. I'm giving you too much information."
A Friendship Forged on Set
The 42-year-old actress first worked alongside Cruise when she joined the Mission: Impossible franchise as MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in 2015's Rogue Nation. She reprised the role in both Fallout (2018) and Dead Reckoning (2023), during which time she developed a genuine camaraderie with the veteran actor.
Ferguson's career has flourished beyond the action franchise with notable performances in:
- Both Dune and Dune: Part Two (2021 and 2024)
- Life (2017) and Doctor Sleep (2019)
- Netflix's political thriller A House of Dynamite (2025)
- The acclaimed Apple TV+ series Silo since 2023
Not Alone in Cruise Appreciation
Ferguson isn't the only co-star to speak warmly about Cruise's character. In 2023, Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham, who appeared alongside him in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, vigorously defended the star from criticism during a television appearance.
After spending "five intense days" with Cruise on a fighter carrier during filming, Waddingham declared: "He is without doubt one of the loveliest and encouraging, positive and inspiring human beings I have ever met. I have no time for anyone saying anything about him."
The Complex Legacy of a Hollywood Icon
While Cruise remains one of cinema's most bankable stars, his off-screen life has frequently attracted media scrutiny and controversy. Notable incidents include:
- His exuberant 2005 appearance on Oprah Winfrey's show where he famously jumped on a sofa while declaring love for then-girlfriend Katie Holmes
- A heated exchange that same year with television host Matt Lauer about psychiatry, which Cruise controversially labelled a "pseudo-science"
- Ongoing speculation regarding his association with the Church of Scientology, including a 2008 leaked promotional video that bewildered many fans
Despite these controversies, Ferguson's anecdote reveals a more personal side to the actor—one willing to respond to a friend in genuine need, even if that request involves arranging emergency air transport from a tropical paradise.
Looking Forward
Ferguson's new film Mercy, in which she stars opposite Chris Pratt, is scheduled for release on 23 January. The full interview featuring both Ferguson and Pratt will be published tomorrow, potentially offering further insights into the actress's remarkable career and unconventional friendship with one of Hollywood's most fascinating figures.
This unusual story of celebrity friendship and emergency resourcefulness serves as a reminder that even in the glamorous world of international stardom, practical problems sometimes require extraordinary solutions—and that sometimes, the right contact really can arrange a helicopter.
