Posted in: Movies, Paramount Pictures | Tagged: mission impossible, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning: Saxon on Film Mini-Reunion

Rolf Saxon spoke to Bleeding Cool about reuniting with Cruise, Rhames, and Czerny for Paramount's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.

It almost felt like a lifetime ago when Rolf Saxon joined the cultural phenomenon of Mission: Impossible in 1996. It was already a force on television thanks to creator Bruce Geller's ABC TV series in 1966, which lasted seven seasons in its original run from 1966-1973, but also featured a revival (long before the days of streaming) from 1988-1990 that lasted two seasons, both starring Peter Graves. When Paramount decided to turn the series into a cinematic franchise, they recruited director Brian De Palma with Tom Cruise to lead what would become an eight-film franchise culminating in the upcoming final film in The Final Reckoning that will see a chunk of the original movie reunited, including Cruise, Ving Rhames, and Henry Czerny. Saxon spoke to Bleeding Cool about if he feels The Final Reckoning marks his return to a full commitment to the screen since stepping away in 2017, if there are genre work he wants to tap into, reuniting with his castmates and thoughts of the newer additions, comparing De Palma and Christopher McQuarrie's directing styles, and the Geller TV series.

Rolf Saxon on Reuniting with a Few of His Original 1996 'Mission: Impossible' Castmates for 'The Final Reckoning'

Bleeding Cool: Circling back and talking about your career, how do you feel? Do you feel 'Mission: Impossible' is a one-off thing as far as being on screen again, or is it something you would want to maybe consider doing regularly again?

In my career at this point, I've always been pretty lucky. Those of us in this game, if you can make a living in being an actor, that's pretty great. I've been very lucky in that regard to being tapped on the shoulder. I mean, I had one or two lines in [the first 'Mission: Impossible'], and I had virtually nothing in the film. It developed a little bit more during the filming. Yeah, if someone offers me a film role, absolutely, I'll take it, of course, provided it's something I want to do. The theater has always been my first love, and that's what I spent most of my time doing, but I've also done television series and 25 films, which doesn't count the student films. Anything that's interesting for me to do, I will jump at it, especially at my age.

Is there a specific genre of work you hope to do that you haven't gotten to do as far as challenges as an actor?

No, as I say, I've been very lucky. I've done comedy, tragedy, and even a soap opera. I have been very lucky at what I do. I love doing Shakespeare, spent three years with the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company), two seasons. I loved doing that. I was a founder member of Cal Shakespeare in California, which sadly has just gone away, another Covid ending. I'd love to do more Shakespeare and Arthur Miller as a playwright. He's fantastic, and of course, film and television. That's not something in my position I can pick and choose right now. If something were to come my way, I would like to look at it.

Did you get a chance to catch up with the cast members of the 1996 original 'Mission: Impossible', like Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, or Henry Czerny, on the set of 'The Final Reckoning?'

Ving, we said a brief "Hello." We weren't on at the same time during number eight. Henry Czerny [laughs], I ran into for the first time in 25 years, and he is the one who exiled me in number one, and we were on set. It was I think was Esai's [Morales] birthday, and there was a bit of a celebration with people there. I walked up to Henry and said, "Hi, Henry," and he went, "Oh, hey, hey," and I said, "Listen, I just want you to know, man, there's no hard feelings." He looked at me like, "What?!" Then he just started laughing. Henry and I…we had a great time, a lovely guy. Simon Pegg, I knew back in England, I've known Simon on and off for over 20 years. It was great to work with him. I'd never met Haley [Atwell] before, and she's a joy to be around. Tom, of course, I wouldn't be there if it weren't for him. Both times, in fact. He's an absolute pleasure to work around as well.

Did you follow any of the spy genres growing up, like the original 'Mission: Impossible?'

Oh yeah, I saw that. I saw when I was here before I left for England. I went over there in 1977, so I think that it was done by then on television or just ending maybe.

I know that there was a revival briefly.

Leonard Nimoy was in a later version at one point.

The Peter Graves version.

Peter Graves. That's exactly what I was going to say, Marshall Dillon's (from 'Gunsmoke') brother, James Arness's brother, Peter Graves. Yeah, those were fantastic, and to be a part of the first film, I was excited to do that. I thought it was very cool and almost 30 years later, now from 1996 to 2025, again, Tom is extraordinary! This needed to be in the hands of somebody who loved it, who would take care of it, and who could see what would technically work. He's the trifecta right there.

How do you compare Brian [De Palma] and Chris [McQuarrie] directing styles since you've had a chance to work with both of them?

I have been asked this before. I have to say, "Brian De Palma is a very different animal." It became difficult at times in any way to do anything other than exactly what he wanted to do, and Christopher McQuarrie is a whole different animal. To be fair to Mr. De Palma, he's also a genius filmmaker. Some of the films he's done are extraordinary, so it's not like he was being a jerk. It's his way of operating.

Chris is more friendly, charming, and enjoyable to be around. There's always laughter on the set. It's very easy going. People are very serious about it, but he is also willing to take a suggestion. That happened with everybody from the day players to people who were there for the long [haul]; if you had something to say, it became within my first day there. It became clear that anybody was welcome to chime in. That was refreshing, and I have to say, honestly, this is probably one of the two or three happiest sets I've ever been on.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which also stars Angela Bassett, comes exclusively to theaters on May 23rd.

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