HOLLYWOOD star Tom Cruise completed a personal mission when he called the mayor of Brentwood in Essex to say: “You have a great town.”
The Top Gun icon, 55, is currently based in the town to film the latest instalment of the popular Mission: Impossible franchise.
Cllr William Russell said he could hardly believe it when he took the actor’s call on his mobile phone as he collected his son from school.
Mr Russell said: “I asked who he was and he told me it was Tom Cruise. “I didn’t quite believe it at first and I became very guarded.
“Then I thought that I had no reason to doubt it. “It sounded like him and he wasn’t being ridiculous.
“He wanted to thank the people of the town. He wanted to say what a lovely forest we have.” The Conservative councillor added: “He didn’t ring to say, ‘It’s Tom Cruise’.
“He asked if I was the mayor and went on to say that I did know him, and he wanted to say he had a wonderful time in Brentwood and it was a great town.
“He asked about what I did as mayor, and said it was important to have such a great community and I should be proud to have the position of mayor.”
Tom was spotted filming in nearby Thorndon Country Park, Essex, earlier in the week and was seen limping as he climbed from a stunt helicopter.
The actor, who was divorced from Katie Holmes in 2012, was injured in August after executing a daring stunt for his latest movie when he jumped between two office blocks.
Cruise, who is famous for doing his own stunts, suffered a broken ankle after a bad landing. And Tom, who has three children, recently vowed to keep up his reputation as Hollywood’s friendliest star.
He is known for spending hours greeting fans at his red carpet appearances.
“It’s something I love to do and always will do,” he said. “I make these movies for the fans and I enjoy meeting them and thanking them in person.
“I think it is something everyone lucky enough to be involved in this industry should do.”
Mission: Impossible 6 is due to be released in July next year.
TOP THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BRENTWOOD- The commuter town is home to glamorous celebrities, including TOWIE stars Amy Childs and Gemma Collins and model Jodie Marsh
- Former EastEnders tough guy Ross Kemp and F1 driver Perry McCarthy – the original Top Gear Stig – had homes in the town
- Brentwood has produced a number of sporting greats, including nooker player Steve Davis and boxer Frank Bruno
- It is home to the Sugar Hut nightclub frequented by footballers andreality TV stars
- More than 1,000 bombs were dropped on Brentwood during the Second World War. Some 5,000 homes were destroyed, 389 people were injured and 43 died
- Paradoxically, Brentwood was a major destination for evacuated children during the war, with 6,000 arriving in September 1939 alone
- Brentwood was Britain’s trampolining capital between 1965 and 1981 and still has a thriving trampolining community
- It also boasts a ski and snowboard centre
- The town has an above average number of pubs