Tom Cruise was once saved from one of the most beautiful women in the world — Penelope Cruz.
Mark Billingham is now an author and TV star, but he previously worked as a bodyguard for many Hollywood megastars, including Mr. Cruise.
Billingham, the star of Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, is also pushing his new book, The Hard Way: Adapt, Survive And Win, where he shared a fascinating story about Cruise and the stunning Spanish actress.
The man, who spent more than 27 years in the army, revealed that he once rushed to protect the Cruise from a person he assumed was getting too close and was ready to attack the action star.
The former member of the Special Air Service did not hesitate and rapidly got Cruise to safety and placed the assailant under his arm.
He described the moment he protected Tom from an assailant — who actually turned out to be his girlfriend.
Billingham wrote: “The first challenge was shepherding Tom through a hundreds-strong crowd of paparazzi and fans who had mobbed his hotel. Tom and I were a step away from the door when I realized that somebody was there out of the corner of my eye. Someone was moving towards Tom, fast. I went into protection mode.”
He went on to share: “”***! I grabbed Tom around the shoulders with one arm, and at the same time, I reached out with the other arm and just grabbed this thing by the arm, too. I couldn’t see a face, just jeans, a T-shirt and a blue hat. I didn’t have time to think; I just did.”
The retired member of the British Army continued: “With Tom under one arm and the suspected attacker under the other, I pushed towards the door, and we fell inside the hotel doorway. It was all reactive. I looked around to check Tom was OK, but something didn’t add up. Tom was smiling. But he wasn’t smiling at me. He was smiling at the person I had under the other arm. I turned and realized under my other arm was one of the world’s best-known actresses.”
The 52-year-old human protector said he tackled Cruz, thinking she was about to attack and hurt Cruise.
Cruise was not angry and told the man protecting him: “Before I could say anything, Tom piped up, “Billy, meet Penelope!” I’d just saved Tom Cruise from his own bloody girlfriend, Penelope Cruz.”
It is not known if Cruz, on the other hand, found the story funny.
