As Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One prepares for its release with a potentially series-best opening weekend, all eyes are on Tom Cruise to see whether he’ll deliver on the insane stunts that the movie’s marketing have promised. While a lot of the franchise’s players are returning from prior movies, it has several new entrants as well. And among those, all eyes are naturally on Hayley Atwell, being the most recognizable name in the series by far thanks to her turn essaying the role of Agent Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
We’ve seen how Mission: Impossible movies are developed around the action sequences, with a lot of the storytelling figured out on the go. This includes the characters as well, who didn’t have names for the longest time. This afforded Atwell an opportunity to shape the character from the ground up and contributing immensely in its development. Her inputs were received with open arms by Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie who incorporated them into their portrayal of Grace. Here’s what she had to say about her involvement in crafting the role.
With Grace, I’d come into it in a position where McQ had seen me in a play ten years previously and had taken me out to dinner and said, “I want to work with you. I just don’t know what it is yet.” So, when he brought me in for the screen test to meet Tom, what they said was they were looking for an actress. Rather than someone to fit a character that was already written, [they wanted] someone that would collaborate with them. Based on my level of commitment to the process of discovering new things, then the character would naturally emerge. Which is why I feel like I was having so much fun with Grace; why she’s so mischievous.
We’ve only heard little bits of trivia and info that have trickled here and there in interviews about the new characters. In a new exclusive with Screen Rant though, Atwell shared what’s probably the most comprehensive bio of her character. She rescribed Grace as a lone wolf who, much like the movie’s storytelling, learned all the skills she needed on the job. And she also shares her origin with Ethan Hunt who, she reveals, has a similar background.
Grace, I would say, is consistently inconsistent. A lone wolf. She’s hyper-vigilant. She’s out for herself out of necessity; because she’s had to be. It’s how she’s survived. She’s learned skills on the job, as opposed to having had any real formal training, which means she can be quite scrappy and can also duck and dive and adapt to situations. And, of course, that shares an origin story with Ethan Hunt who kind of has a similar background. They are sort of two sides of the same coin; there’s a kind of cat-and-mouse feel to them — like siblings in a way. And that creates a kind of exasperation between them that becomes also very endearing and very funny.
Hayley Atwell’s addition to the franchise is certainly one of the many, many exciting bits that it has going for it. From the looks of it, she will share an interesting relationship with Tom Cruise, who she’s had nothing but praise for, be it for his work ethic or the professionalism he brings to the table. As of now, it’s unclear whether her character survives this movie and make an appearance in the sequel. But after her newfound fame in the MCU, I’d wager it’ll be a waste for an actress of her caliber to simply have a one-film contract.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One arrives in theaters on July 12, 2023.
