There's been a lot of news leaving the Mission Impossible 7. First, a recording of Tom Cruise allegedly shouting at the production team for breaking Covid regulations emerged. Shortly after, there were rumours that the actor was dating his co-star in the film, Hayley Atwell.The Sunreports that the pair were spotted spotted hands at a recent London screening, after growing close while filming in Italy and the UK. (The actor hasn't had a long-term partner since Katie Holmes filed for divorce in 2012.) Now, they've been seen again, filming scenes for the film in Yorkshire.
At this point, there have been no official comments either way, and Tom and Hayley have not been seen together in public off set. So, at this point, we're thinking this is a mere rumour. But you never know: Tom's relationships with stars including Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes and Penelope Cruz all started with a rumour too...
So, who is Hayley? The actress is British-American, and is 39 years old, making her 20 years younger than her co-star. After studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, along with the likes of Jodie Whittaker and Michelle Dockery, Hayley has gone on to achieve success in TV, stage and film. But you probably recognise her as Agent Carter in the Marvel films or from starring in period dramas - after all, she was dubbed 'the queen of period-drama' by The Guardian (which really is quite the accolade). She played Julia in the film adaptation of Brideshead Revisited - befriending co-star Emma Thompson in the process - and Margaret in the BBC's version of Howards End. She was also in The Duchess, with Keira Knightley, and is an acclaimed stage actress for good measure.
Until 2012, Hayley was in a long-term relationship with Gabriel Bisset-Smith, a screenwriter who worked on the Channel 4 drama Skins. The pair met at drama school, being friends for seven years before they became a couple.
If you want to keep up with her filmstar life, you can find Hayley on Instagram @wellhayley. Expect glamorous selfies, and lots of envy-inducing travel pics. And, who knows? Maybe, in the future, even the odd picture of Tom Cruise every now and then.