Mission: Impossible and Marvel Star Hayley Atwell Compares Her Franchise Experiences

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is now playing in theaters, and sees the return of many fan-favorite actors from the franchise in addition to some exciting newcomers. One such Mission: Impossible first-timer is Hayley Atwell, who is best known for playing Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Atwell first played the role in Captain America: The First Avenger back in 2011, and went on to star in her own series, Agent Carter, which was canceled after two seasons. Atwell has made appearances in other Marvel projects over the years, but she’s made it clear that she’s not been happy with all of the choices made about her character. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Atwell talked about working with Mission: Impossible star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie, and the “emotional depth” she was allowed to explore in Dead Reckoning. While she didn’t mention Marvel by name, it sounds like she’s a lot happier with her newest franchise venture. 

“I was finally given the trust and the platform … to show more range and to show more emotional depth in a franchise or something of this size, which I hadn’t been afforded before, and so I have this eternal gratitude to Tom and to McQ, who provided the resources and the support system every day on set so that I could thrive. It’s been a deliverance of a long time coming. After 17 years in this industry, I’ve finally been able to do something at this level, with this quality of filmmaking, and I’d never been afforded that before,” Atwell shared.

During the THR interview, Atwell also revealed how she landed the role of Grace in Dead Reckoning.

“Chris McQuarrie had seen me in the play The Pride at Trafalgar Studios in London 10 years ago, and I met him afterward and he said there was a moment in the play that he went, ‘That thing that she does, that she can access, I want it. I want it in a movie, I just don’t know in what capacity.’ He said that to me quite early on when I got the role. He was like, ‘We’ve been trying to find this moment for six years now.’ It’s now been obviously 10 years because the film took four years to make,” Atwell explained.

What Is Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning About?

Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, which premieres in theaters on July 12th. It’s the beginning of the end for the action-packed franchise, as Cruise reteams with longtime collaborator and filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie for more death-defying and breathtaking stunts. Hunt and allies Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) attempt to track down a new weapon with the power to tear the world apart. Actors Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, and Esai Morales join the cast for the latest installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which is set to wrap up with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.