What lead actor stars in the "Mission: Impossible" movie series?

Tom Cruise stars as the lead actor in the Mission: Impossible movie series. He plays Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force, or IMF, who is repeatedly assigned high-risk missions involving espionage, sabotage, and international conspiracies.

The first Mission: Impossible film premiered in 1996 and was directed by Brian De Palma. The movie series was adapted from the 1960s television program created by Bruce Geller, but the films center much more strongly on Ethan Hunt than the original ensemble-driven show did. Cruise has also served as a producer on the series.

The franchise became known for elaborate practical stunts, many performed by Cruise himself. These include climbing the Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol and hanging from an aircraft during Rogue Nation. Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Henry Czerny are among the recurring supporting actors, but Cruise remains the series' central star and character.

A common mix-up is confusing Ethan Hunt with James Bond or Jason Bourne. All three are fictional spies, but Hunt belongs specifically to the IMF and the Mission: Impossible films.