Watch: Simon Barnett's mission to interview movie star Tom Cruise
Barnett and his sidekick Lana Searle hit the red carpet to meet the man who has inspired him since he was 20.
The first thing Cruise said to Barnett after they were introduced was "I love New Zealand".
Barnett then asked if he has "any plans to come back?"
"Yeah, I'd love to. I'd like to film there again and just visit my friends - I got a lot of friends there," Cruise said.
"You know, go have some adventures in New Zealand. Go do some speed flying over there if I can."
Tom Cruise flanked by Lana Searle and Simon Barnett. Photo: Instagram / MoreFM
Said Barnett: "You know I have to say this to you - I'm 58, but it's a genuine privilege to meet you because I just respect your work so much.
"For 30 years. Honestly, you bring to the world and Hollywood," Barnett told Tom.
"I'm not being obsequious. It's just you've brought so much. So I just wanted to say thank you."
Cruise was clearly touched by the outpouring of admiration.
"You know, that means a lot to me. Thank you very much."
Barnett and Cruise then discussed being "comfortable with being afraid" and where the movie star's love of stunts developed - way back when he was just a toddler.
Said Barnett: "It actually is a significant joy in my life. People won't understand it, I can't really understand it, but it just is.
"To actually meet that guy and to have a good chat with him. He was engaged, wasn't he? And I love that."
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning hits New Zealand cinemas on May 17.
-Reporting Monika Barton
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Vape Messaging Targets Young People Via Social Media
A leading e-cigarette brand's global Instagram account is promoting vapes to vast audiences, including in New Zealand, where regulations prohibit vape marketing to young people. Partnership deals with Formula One racing, and glamorous young influencers are promoting vapes to vast global audiences. Many countries, including the UK and New Zealand, have brought in regulations to prevent marketing vapes to young people. Social media platforms also have policies for this purpose. A new study published in Health Promotion International has found Vuse, the world's leading e-cigarette brand, is using a global social account to enter into paid partnerships, including a Formula One racing team, to promote vapes to massive audiences. 'Collaborations with music festivals and inuencers show that the company is targeting young people and may be using social media's global reach to bypass local bans,' says Dr Lucy Hardie, a population health researcher at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, who led the international study. 'Fast cars and beautiful women are a tried-and-true marketing strategy used by the tobacco industry,' Hardie says. The study reviewed more than 400 Instagram posts associated with the internationally leading e-cigarette brand, Vuse, owned by British American Tobacco, between August 2023 to July 2024. Hashtags like #VuseInsider were used to promote brand ambassadors and festival experiences. Vuse has partnerships with social media influencers who produce stylised 'Get Ready with Me' videos linked to music festivals. 'You see a beautiful young influencer choosing fashion and makeup set to cool music, a type of clip popular with young women. It finishes with her popping a vape into her handbag as she heads out the door to attend a music festival,' Hardie says. Vuse also sponsors Formula One race team McLaren, meaning the company's branding and logos are used in posts that are promoted to its nearly 14 million followers. Despite the platform's policy, these are seldom disclosed as paid partnerships, the study finds. The researchers warn that Vuse's global Instagram marketing strategy allows it to bypass national advertising bans, such as those in New Zealand and in the UK, effectively exploiting legal gaps and weak platform enforcement. 'Social media is borderless and so is this type of marketing,' Hardie says. 'We urgently need global agreements restricting e-cigarette marketing on social media, and platforms need to enforce breaches of platform policy. 'There needs to be greater scrutiny and accountability for brand partnerships that target vulnerable audiences with highly addictive substances.' The long-term health effects of youth vaping are not yet known, but associations are emerging in research that link vapes to heart and lung conditions, as well as well-established issues related to nicotine addiction. Another related study just published in Tobacco Control reveals how one New Zealand-based vape company uses environmental schemes to maintain a presence at youth-oriented music festivals in New Zealand, despite a strict sponsorship ban since 2020. The study, also led by Hardie with colleagues from the University of Otago and the University of Sydney, revealed that leading vape company VAPO has established a recycling initiative, VapeCycle, that can sponsor major festivals like Rhythm and Vines attended by more than 20,000 young people. The company's branding still features at the festivals on recycling bins. Hardie says the studies point to a need for stronger regulations and enforcement to better protect young people.
1News
18 hours ago
- 1News
NZ reggae artist General Fiyah detained in US and deported
New Zealand-born reggae artist Lotima Nicholas Pome'e - aka General Fiyah - has been reportedly detained in the US and deported. The young musician had been scheduled to perform at Polyfest, a major Pacific cultural festival held in Washington on Saturday. In a post on social media, General Fiyah expressed his apologies to fans. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including our first ever espionage trial, the end of an era for Cook Strait crossings, and a surprising survival story. (Source: 1News) "I am really sorry to let you all know that I won't be able to make the performance tonight," the post read. ADVERTISEMENT "I was detained and sent back to New Zealand, which means I can't be there to share this moment with you." Social media post by General Fiyah. (Source: General Fiyah via Instagram) The musician apologised, saying he would always be supporting from afar. On Sunday, online posts showed him in Sydney. RNZ has contacted General Fiyah and Polyfest for comment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it had not been approached about this incident. It comes after New Zealand mother Sarah Shaw — detained in an immigration facility in the state of Texas — returned safely back at her home in Washington. Shaw and her six-year-old son Issac were detained at the Canadian border more than three weeks ago because she mistakenly tried to leave and re-enter the United States without both parts of her visa approved.
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- NZ Herald
Taylor Swift announces 12th album for ‘pre pre-order'
"The Life of a Showgirl" will be Swift's 12th studio album. Photo / Getty Images Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. "The Life of a Showgirl" will be Swift's 12th studio album. Photo / Getty Images US popstar Taylor Swift announced her 12th album, titled The Life of a Showgirl, for 'pre pre-order' just after midnight on Tuesday in posts on her website. Her online shop displayed blurred images of a record, CD and cassette tape overlaid with a glittery orange lock, explaining the album artwork would be 'revealed at a later date'. A disclaimer also notes that the release date has not yet been announced, and the album will ship before October 13. 'So I wanted to show you something,' the singer says in a video clip posted to her Instagram as she holds up a vinyl album, its cover completely blurred. 'This is my brand new album The Life of a Show Girl,' she says in the clip from the New Heights podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, American football player Travis Kelce, and his brother, ex-NFL player Jason Kelce.
