Tom Cruise made a dramatic appearance at the closing ceremony for the Paris Olympics, performing a life-threatening stunt in true Cruise fashion.
The 62-year-old actor, known for handling his own high-risk stunts, was rumored to be involved in the ceremony, though the specifics of his plans were kept secret until the event.
Cruise was reportedly in Europe filming “Mission: Impossible 8″ when he was spotted filming a stunt on a motorcycle while carrying a flag, according to Variety.
During Sunday’s ceremony at the Stade de France, Cruise emerged at the top of the stadium, confirming the speculations.
“Thank you, Paris! Now off to LA,” Cruise posted on X, alongside a photo of him atop the stadium.
Following a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by H.E.R., Cruise stunned the audience by leaping from the stadium’s roof, rappelling down over the crowd and making his way to the stage.
There, he was greeted by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and gymnastics icon Simone Biles.
Per People, Bass and Biles handed Cruise the Olympic flag, which he accepted on behalf of Los Angeles, the host city for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Afterward, Cruise tied the flag to his motorcycle and rode out of the stadium.
A prerecorded video was then played, showing Cruise riding through the streets of Paris to a plane bound for Los Angeles. Once the plane arrived in LA, he was shown skydiving out of it.
From there, he was shown at the iconic Hollywood sign, where the O’s had been outfitted with the Olympic Rings.
The flag was then taken through Los Angeles by Olympic athletes. The story culminated in a concert featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg.
In a statement, Bass expressed how much of an honor it was to participate in the closing ceremony and the impact she hopes the 2028 Olympics has on the city of Los Angeles.
“It was an immense honor to participate in this moment of history and it was such a privilege to stand with Simone Biles — someone who has made our entire nation proud,” Bass said. “It’s my hope that when girls around the world watched the first woman Mayor of Paris officially hand off the flag to the first woman Mayor of Los Angeles, they were inspired.”
“Now, it’s time for Los Angeles to show the world just how special our city is,” the statement continued, “and to host the most impactful Olympic and Paralympic Games yet that focus on helping local small businesses, creating local jobs and creating lasting environmental and transportation improvements throughout Los Angeles that generate tangible benefits to Angelenos for generations to come.”