Pom Klementieff, Hayley Atwell, and Angela Bassett on their Final mission, unforgettable fight scenes, and female power and on- and off-screen
In a franchise known for high-octane stunts and steely-eyed determination, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning delivers more than explosions and espionage, it also elevates its women. From presidents to secret agents, from silent warriors to commanding leaders, these women don’t just support the mission: they command the mission.
At a recent afternoon in London, I spoke with three of the film’s fiercest forces: Pom Klementieff, Angela Bassett, and Hayley Atwell. What emerged wasn’t just a conversation about physical feats or plot twists. It was a portrait of three women navigating some of the most demanding roles in one of Hollywood’s most enduring franchises while reflecting on the long arcs of their lives and careers.
Pom Klementieff
You may know her as Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy, but in Mission: Impossible, Pom Klementieff transforms into something else entirely. She’s a fearsome, near-mythical fighter, as graceful as she is brutal. Her fight scenes were punishing, not just physically but psychologically, and she embraced them with full commitment.
“I had two big fight scenes,” she recalls, “One with handcuffs on. I had to use my feet, do high kicks, and a back roll I’d never done before.” And then there was the fire scene in the cottage. “We had real flames. You shoot all day long with them. It’s hot, you’re wearing Arctic layers, and it makes everything harder.”
But Klementieff thrives in the heat. Her character isn’t just muscle and speed—it’s a reflection of her own drive to constantly evolve. The physicality might leave bruises, but the reward is deeper. “It pushed me to places I didn’t know I could go.”
Angela Bassett
Few actors can command a room like Angela Bassett. Returning as the President in Final Reckoning, she delivers gravitas with a glance and authority with every word. She spoke with me about what it means to play such a figure, and how art can echo life.
“It’s a big responsibility,” she says. “You walk into a room knowing the decision of humanity rests on you.” It’s not so different from raising her own twins, she laughs. “Every day, I say, ‘This is what needs to be done.’ They may not listen immediately, but it always lands.”
Bassett’s body of work stretches far beyond the IMF. From What’s Love Got to Do With It to Strange Days, she’s carved out space for women who are complex, powerful, and deeply human. “Those roles stand the test of time,” she says. “They’re rooted in who we are as women: survivors, people who know when to say, ‘Enough.’”
Even today, she embraces physical challenges. A misstep during Gunpowder Milkshake left her with a sprained ankle: not in a climactic fight, but simply stepping to the right. “You laugh,” she says, “but even that tells you something: you have to be present. Always.”
Hayley Atwell
Hayley Atwell’s performance as Grace is nimble, layered, and enigmatic. After two Mission: Impossible films and five years with the team, she doesn’t talk just about stunts. She talks about growth.
“I’ve grown in resilience, mental and physical,” she says. “This experience demanded stamina, openness, and the ability to keep learning.” And learn she did from leading man Tom Cruise, from the breakneck production pace, and from the global canvas of locations they explored.
But for Atwell, perhaps the most profound lesson came from time itself. “Five years sounds long, but it feels like a blink. I’ve learned to get the most out of the time I have. To feel grateful.”
Beyond the screen, Atwell is grounded by theater, her original home as an actor. “It’s who I am,” she says. “You’re live, night after night. You feel what works, and what doesn’t. It keeps you honest.”
When asked what heroism means to her, Atwell doesn’t miss a beat: “It’s doing the right thing, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.”
Photos courtesy of Paramount Pictures
