Tom Cruise brings Hollywood magic to Paris Olympics closing ceremony
By Naomi Clarke, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Tom Cruise brought Hollywood magic to the Paris Olympics closing ceremony as he descended into the Stade de from the roof to help the city hand over the reins to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games.
Californian natives Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish and Snoop Dogg also featured in the star-studded handover section of the ceremony on Sunday.
It followed after a “golden voyager”, acrobats and acclaimed French musicians performed during the main ceremony held in the French stadium.
US R&B artist H.E.R. sang the US national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner, as the handover ceremony got under way.
The change-over section opened with the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo handing over the Olympic flag to the Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, who was ed on stage by Olympic champion US gymnast Simone Biles.
Cheers then rang through the crowd as Cruise was spotted in the rafters before he descended into the stadium from a rope in true Mission: Impossible fashion.
After greeting Olympians in the crowd, he shook hands with Bass before taking the Olympic flag from her and hopping on a motorcycle to take it on a joyride out of the stadium.
A pre-recorded film showed the Hollywood star riding past classic Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower before arriving at an airport.
After boarding the aircraft, Cruise could be seen skydiving out of the plane and later landing in America.
The star then trekked the flag up to the famous Hollywood sign before he ed it on to US cyclist Kate Courtney.
We’re coming to Los Angeles! It's Californication! 😎
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are getting the @LA28 party started!#Paris2024 #LA28 #ClosingCeremony pic.twitter.com/P6PZEU2Yuf— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 11, 2024
After the flag was ed between several US Olympians, it arrived at the famous Venice Beach where the Red Hot Chili Peppers were entertaining a crowd with their hit song Can’t Stop.
The rock band then handed the stage to Eilish, who delivered a sweet rendition of her new single Birds Of A Feather while dressed in an oversized T-shirt, shorts and baseball cap.
Snoop, who has popped up at various events across the Olympics, later entered the beach to perform his classic track Drop It Like It’s Hot alongside fellow US rapper Dr Dre.
Ahead of the performance, Cruise posted a selfie of him from high up in the Stade de with the caption: “Thank you, Paris! Now off to LA.”
The Paris Olympics closing ceremony kicked off with performances from a “golden voyager”, acrobats and acclaimed French musicians.
French indie rock band Phoenix, electro house artist Kavinsky and Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig were among the performers during the lively music section of the main closing ceremony.
Sunday’s extravagant event opened with a rendition of Under The Paris Sky, from the 1951 film of the same name, performed by French singer Zaho de Sagazan and an accompanying choir from the Tuileries Garden in Paris.
After thousands of Olympians poured into the stadium with their home countries, they ed together for a joyful sing-along to classics including Les Champs-Elysees, Gala Rizzatto’s Freed From Desire and Queen’s hit We Are The Champions.
The theatrical “record” section of the ceremony opened with dramatic music performed by an orchestra as a dazzling light show shot beams throughout the stadium.
The section paid tribute to the records set by the athletes, as well as the “golden record” which served as a time capsule when it was sent into space in 1977.
A “golden voyager” dressed in an elaborate gold costume was then lowered to the stage from the roof to help tell the history of the Olympics.
On their journey, a cloaked individual presented them with a Greek flag, to represent the Games’ ancient origin.
The voyager was later ed on stage by a group of acrobats who were dressed as alien-like creatures who helped the voyager discover the Olympic rings which were hoisted from the stadium floor into the air.
French pianist and opera singer Benjamin Bernheim then delivered a rendition of Hymn To Apollo as composer Alain Roche played on a piano while being suspended in the air.
Versailles-formed band Phoenix cranked up the energy in the Stade de with a lively performance of their hit Lisztomania as they launched the musical performance section.
The group, who got the Olympians jumping along to their catchy tune, were later ed by Belgian singer Angele.
French electro house artist Kavinsky also performed his classic song Nightcall while a cloaked guitarist shredded after Cambodian rapper Vannda performed.
Vampire Weekend star Koenig then ed Phoenix to begin the handover to the States for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
French singer-songwriter Yseult closed out the show with a powerful performance of Frank Sinatra’s classic My Way as an elaborate firework display erupted above the stadium.
