Tom Cruise’s generous cash help to film crew amid Hollywood strike

Tom Cruise was reportedly keen to help some of his regular collaborators on the Mission: Impossible films. Photo / Getty Images

Tom Cruise reportedly landed his unemployed film crew new jobs shooting a music video for 1980s pop star Rick Astley.

The Top Gun: Maverick star, 61, is said to have got his regular collaborators the work as he didn’t want them losing out on cash amid the ongoing strikes that have brought Hollywood to a standstill and stopped work on his latest Mission: Impossible movie.

A film industry source told The Sun that Tom had asked for the favour from his M:I co-star Simon Pegg, 53, who is directing the video for Never Gonna Give You Up singer Astley’s song Forever and More.

The insider added: “Tom has worked with a number of [the crew] on many films so he wanted to be loyal and help out during tough times.

“After discussions with Simon and [Rick Astley’s] label, he’s got them all to cross over and work on the video.

“Rick is delighted about it because they have lofty standards and could produce something extraordinary.”

The Sun added Astley’s video was shot on Monday at a “secret location” in Britain.

Movie bosses are said to have been aiming to release Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Two in the middle of 2024 but filming was halted due to the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strike.

The Sun reported most of the movie was shot before the walkouts but the biggest action sequence has yet to be filmed.

Experts say even though the writers’ dispute was settled in September, the actors’ strike could drag on for the rest of the year after their talks collapsed on October 11.

Pegg announced on October 13 he had the M:I crew help direct Astley’s new music video by sharing a picture of him on set with the 57-year-old singer.

Astley has seen his career resurrected after he became one of the hits of this year’s Glastonbury with his self-deprecating Pyramid stage solo show and an afternoon set of Smiths covers with the indie band Blossoms.

His ninth studio album Are we There Yet? is due for release in November.

Astley told BBC Breakfast on October 16 he and Pegg linked up to shoot his new music video after “sharing some love” at a festival.

He added: “He jumped in and did it, he came up with a great script and a whole concept and idea. It was just a great couple of days to shoot it.

“We’ve gone from iPhone to Hollywood – it’s a crazy jump.”