Out of all the brilliantly executed (fine, almost all) Mission: Impossible movies, the sixth installment in the iconic franchise is arguably one of the most revisited parts; critics most certainly seem to believe that it trumps all the other films in the action series.
And although Tom Cruise’s effortless charm paired with his dumbfounding and deadly stunts are obviously partly responsible for Mission: Impossible – Fallout‘s unprecedented success, Henry Cavill’s villainous August Walker played just as significant a role, if not more, as the leading man in landing the project its blockbuster status. His screening process, however, was far from a conventional one and involved a lot more grappling and wrestling than you’d imagine. That’s to say, there wasn’t really an audition, to begin with.
Henry Cavill Didn’t Audition for Mission: Impossible 6
Christopher McQuarrie, who helmed the Paramount sequel, didn’t have Henry Cavill go through any test readings or other such run-of-the-mill audition requirements, he simply offered him the part because he saw in the British actor an abundance of untapped potential that he believed was worth exploring.
“He had talents that weren’t being exploited,” the 54-year-old filmmaker revealed, via Men’s Health. Turns out, it was after seeing Cavill in the 2015 spy venture, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., that McQuarrie realized the extent of the former DC star’s talent, which ultimately compelled him to cast him as the antagonist in the sixth Mission: Impossible film.
So, yes, in essence, there was no exhaustive casting process for Cavill’s August Walker and neither did he have to prove his worth, so to speak, to score the coveted place in the Tom Cruise-led action/adventure film. What he did do, however, was put up a commendable fight against the leading man himself, to secure his place in the 2018 hit – as in, literally, physically wrestle it out with Cruise to get the role – despite already having won the director over.
He Came to Blows With Tom Cruise Over His Role, Literally
The Man of Steel star might not have to audition for Mission: Impossible 6, but he did butt heads with the Oscar-nominated actor over it. In fact, Cavill, 40, ended up fighting Cruise, 61, to his death for the role, hyperbolically speaking, of course.
“We fought. We physically fought. It’s part of the thing; you have to wrestle to the death, and they stopped us just before we killed each other, and they say, ‘OK, cool, yeah, you have the part.'”
Don’t worry, they’re practically BFFs in real life.
Either way, McQuarrie’s casting decision regarding August Walker was undoubtedly, a great call, a remarkable one, even, because malignant as he was, the character was nothing short of a delightful treat for the critics and fans alike. And rightly so.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout is available for streaming on Paramount+ or can be rented/purchased on Apple Tv+.
Source: 7 News Miami
