Vanessa Kirby: Watching Tom Cruise taught me that stunts weren't impossible

Vanessa Kirby has revealed she was terrified about attempting stunt work for the first time in the Mission: Impossible franchise, but said she learnt from “master of his craft” Tom Cruise.

The actress is set to reprise her role as the “White Widow” in Mission: Impossible 7, due out next year.

Kirby, 32, who won a Bafta for playing Princess Margaret in Netflix series The Crown, spoke about her nerves before beginning stunt work for her first appearance in the franchise, Mission: Impossible — Fallout, which came out in 2018. She said: “I had never done a stunt in my life before. To do something and make it look like a completely real stunt… it was terrifying.

"Watching Tom and the stunt team, they are masters of their craft. And making the most complete fight scenes look totally real. They are like a dance routine really. It was quite cool, that’s how I thought of it.”

Kirby is a long-standing ambassador for the charity War Child, which is running an emergency coronavirus fundraiser. The campaign is auctioning off experiences with Hollywood actors or items from movies and has so far raised more than £300,000. Prizes include a signed Captain America shield from Chis Evans and a signed Harley Quinn poster from Margot Robbie.

Kirby and co-star Hayley Atwell are offering a one-hour stunt session with their Mission: Impossible trainer Wade Eastwood for the cause. Money raised will go towards helping War Child’s teams provide families with lifesaving food and hygiene kits. It came as Cruise did his bit for the ailing film industry by travelling through the streets of London in a black cab before going to the cinema.

In a video shared on social media, Cruise took in landmarks including Buckingham Palace before going to see new Christopher Nolan film Tenet.

After being recognised by fans despite wearing a mask, he climbed out of his cab and posed next to a Tenet poster, saying: “Back to the movies.”

War Child’s Emergency Coronavirus Crowdfunder runs until September 1. warchildcrowdfunder.co.uk