Hollywood star Tom Cruise made a dramatic entrance at the Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony on Sunday night, descending on a wire from the roof of the Stade de France.
The Mission: Impossible star descended on the stadium in a leather jacket and gloves, his compatriot Har strumming the guitar, and the crowd roared with delight.
Cruise was shown in pre-recorded footage en route to the US via Paris to mark the handover to Los Angeles, which will host the Olympics in 2028.
There, he traveled to the legendary Hollywood sign and raised the Olympic colors, marking a ceremony in Paris that marked an official “goodbye” from this year’s host city.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said the Paris Games had been “sensational”.
In his closing remarks he praised the players for a “simply brilliant” performance, saying they showed “how great human beings can become”.
He continued: “All this time, you have lived in peace under one roof in the Olympic Village. You have accepted one another, you have respected one another even though your country was divided by war and conflict. You have created a culture of peace.”
“This was an inspiration to all of us and to billions of people around the world. Thank you for making us dream. Thank you for making us believe in a better world for everyone.”
Cruz’s feat was showcased at the closing ceremony as musician Herr jammed on electric guitar after playing a rock-inspired rendition of the U.S. national anthem.
He received the Olympic flag from one of Paris’ stars, American gymnast Simone Biles, and excited spectators watched him ride away on his bike.

The pre-recorded clips from the trip to Los Angeles were soundtracked by California band Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The funk rock hitmakers then performed their classic “Can’t Stop” live on the palm-fringed beaches of Los Angeles, where other performers included Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg, who performed alongside Dr. Dre.
The Los Angeles native is a regular at the Olympics and led the United States to a dramatic victory in the women’s basketball final, the final event on Sunday, which put the U.S. in first place on the medal list.

Cruise, best known for his role in “Top Gun,” is known for performing his own stunts.
Over the past decade or so, his most recent roles include climbing the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and hanging from the outside of a plane as it took off, both in the Mission: Impossible series.
Artistic director Thomas Joly enhanced Cruise’s feat with a cinematic staging: A silent, darkened stadium watched as a troupe of dancers rolled five giant hoops across the stage, eventually assembling the Olympic logo.
The gloomy sci-fi atmosphere was finally broken by an up-tempo performance by French band Phoenix, who performed two hits, surprising the stadium announcer and drawing the players onto the stage and surrounding them.

Cruise’s role was perhaps the worst kept secret in Paris, with rumors reporting for days before he was photographed at the stadium on Sunday evening.
The 62-year-old was spotted several times in Paris over the two weeks during the Olympics, cheering on the US swimming relay team and watching multiple medal-winning American gymnast Simone Biles perform.
“It’s incredible,” he told Reuters at the time. “Great stories, great athletes. It’s incredible what they’re doing.”
Jolie also oversaw the Olympics’ ambitious opening ceremony last month, which included a boat parade along the Seine and a comeback performance by singer Celine Dion.
