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Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson is known for her magnetic screen presence and an amazing selection of roles. From playing Elizabeth Woodville inThe White Queento her Jenny Lind role inThe Greatest Showman, she has amassed a diverse portfolio of roles. Apart from these, she’s also widely known for playing MI6 agent Ilsa Faust in threeMission: Impossiblemovies, namelyRogue Nation, Fallout,and the last beingDead Reckoning Part One.
In this, she worked alongside actor Tom Cruise, presenting just how well she can tackle an action role. Sadly, her character was killed off inDead Reckoningmuch to the dismay of the fans.
While many suspected some behind-the-scenes tensions, in reality, it was the actress’ decision to bid adieu to her role. In this article, we will take a closer look at her reasoning behind this decision, and more.
Rebecca Fergusson Details the Reason Why She Left the Mission: Impossible Franchise
Easily regarded as one of the most sought-after franchises in the Hollywood industry, theMission: Impossiblemovie series has captured the attention of viewers since 1996. Headed byTom Cruisethese flicks are known for their record-breaking and difficult stunts as well as a thrilling storyline. Apart from this, these movies also had some of the most badass leading ladies.
From Claire Phelps, and Jane Carter to the last being actressRebecca Ferguson. She played Ilsa Faust in the last threeMission: Impossiblemovies, with her character being killed off inDead Reckoning Part One.This definitely left the fans reeling who absolutely loved her role in the movie.
In an interview viaYahoo, the actress herself detailed that ending her contact was her decision as well as the creative decision of director Christopher McQuarrie. AfterDead Reckoning, Ferguson’s three-film contract came to an end, and it was her decision whether she wanted to continue in the franchise or not.
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She decided to leave, but how her character would end was completely decided by McQuarrie and his creative team. Ferguson also added:
To speak very clearly — because I know a lot of people are sad about it, I’m sad about it — I had filmed three films. My deal was done. And I love her beyond words. Beyond words. I think she’s the most awesome, fantastic character.
She also added that the offer to participate in the fourth movie was also on the table. However, she felt there wasn’t“enough space”for Ilsa to bring out her true authenticity and to be who she was. She also added:
Ilsa was becoming a team player. And we all can want different things, but for me, Ilsa was rogue. Ilsa was naughty. Ilsa was unpredictable. There was a lot of characters coming in, not leaving enough space for what she had been.
Apart from these things, she also thought about the time duration she would have to give for aMission: Impossiblemovie. She also added the unpredictable element of McQuarrie’sMissionmovies, which frequently adjusts script and scenes as they go. This also brings in long periods of downtime for actors, which was another major reason why she left the franchise.
Director Christopher McQuarrie Detailed Why Ilsa Faust Was Killed Off in Dead Reckoning
Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt’s leaping off a cliff on a motorcycle shocked everyone to the core inDead Reckoning. However, it wasn’t the only thing that caught everyone off guard. In reality, it was the heartbreaking death of Ilsa Faust played by Ferguson that broke everyone’s heart, since her inception in the franchise from 2015’sRogue Nation.
Her end happens dramatically when she faces against the antagonist Gabriel played by Esai Morales on a Venice bridge. Ethan does arrive to save her but it’s already too late, leaving fans of the franchise shocked with her sudden exit. On the same, the director of the movie, Christopher McQuarrie who also co-produced the movie with Cruise added more on her death in aninterview. He added:
It was one of the earliest conversations. We were on the set of Top Gun, we were already talking about it. We knew that that emotional arc was of a certain emotional tone… Ilsa is a wonderful character, and a character of which I am enormously proud, and Rebecca is an actor of such unmitigated power and presence.
He also went on the explain that if they had continued with her character then she would have been less impactful. McQuarrie also added that she was not just a typical romantic interest for Ethan Hunt, but their connection was more than just a romantic one. He added:
She would just become a romantic interest, and it was never about creating a character who was defined by her love story with Ethan Hunt. Their relationship transcends a traditional loving story… They’re doomed to be together and yet doomed never to be together… It felt like that story was looking for its resolution and so we said this has got to happen.
The filmmaker also added that her death added a deeper purpose in the story by increasing the stakes for Ethan Hunt’s mission. Her death made the danger seem more intense and real, establishing the high stakes and cost of the mission.
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Not only Ilsa, but other characters such as Simon Pegg’s Dunn and Ving Rhames’s Luther Stickell, were also considered for a similar fate. But McQuarrie added thatDead Reckoning Part Oneis only the start, indirectly suggesting that more such surprises can happen in the future.
Rebecca Ferguson Detailed Her Experience of Working With Tom Cruise
Ilsa Faust is a complex and layered character and begins as an undercover MI6 operative who infiltrates the Syndicate. This is a powerful rogue organization, and she enters the same as part of a secret mission. Although she appears to be working as an assassin for the Syndicate, her ultimate goal is to gather information and ultimately bring down the organization.
In aninterview, Rebecca Ferguson talked more about her character as well as what it was like to work with Cruise inDead ReckoningafterRogue NationandFallout. The actress detailed that even though this was her third movie with the actor, she still finds him inspiring on so many levels. She further described the actor as being friendly and supportive on set and added:
He expects the best of everyone. That’s probably the one thing I’ve really taken with me. If you’re able to’t deliver, that’s fine, you always look for other solutions. But he’s the first one on set and the last one out. If you ask that everyone be their best selves, you need to deliver that for yourself. And he does.
While the actress had only kind words to add for Cruise, he on the other hand is all set to close theMission: Impossiblechapter withThe Final Reckoning. Theteaser for the samewas released recently in which the actor is back as Ethan Hunt that too with a special message. In the snippets he’s seen performing his usual death-defying stunts, hanging from planes and exploring submarines.
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Towards the end of the teaser, he comes in front of the camera and adds“I need you to trust me…one last time.”Fans were definitely overjoyed for the same and wondered what would be Ethan’s journey this time after the painful death of Ilsa Faust in the lastMission: Impossiblemovie.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoningis scheduled for a theatrical release on Jul 15, 2025.
Sakshi Singh
Articles Published :1435
Sakshi Singh has written over 1,300 entertainment articles, mostly about Netflix shows and reality TV. She’s spent the last two years covering everything from surprise engagements to shocking eliminations and previously wrote for Essentially Sports in their Netflix Junkie division. A self-proclaimed reality TV addict, Sakshi has watched all 48 seasons of Survivor and never misses a new dating or competition series. She loves watching how strangers meet, fall in love, team up, or betray each other - it’s the mix of strategy and drama that keeps her hooked. When she’s not glued to a reality show, she’s usually watching a crime thriller or tracking the next big streaming hit.
