Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible film series.
Cruise has portrayed Ethan since the first film in 1996. Ethan is an IMF agent known for improvisation, disguises, and extraordinary physical risks while completing missions that official agencies cannot openly undertake.
The question distinguishes Cruise's role from his other action characters, especially Jack Reacher, another character he played in films. Cruise also serves as a producer on the Mission: Impossible movies and is closely associated with their practical stunt sequences, including climbing, motorcycle jumping, and aerial action.