Simon Pegg's friendship with Tom Cruise has helped him cope with fame
Simon Pegg has learned how to handle the demands of fame after witnessing how his Mission: Impossible co-star Tom Cruise "conducts himself" in the glare of the spotlight.
Simon Pegg credits his friendship with Tom Cruise for helping him to handle fame.
The 56-year-old actor has starred alongside the Hollywood icon in six Mission: Impossible movies and admires how the Top Gun star "conducts himself" when he receives attention from the public.
Pegg told The Sunday Times magazine: "I mean, he's not able to go anywhere!
"But when he does, he's very aware of who he is, what it means. So, yes, I do look at how he conducts himself and have realised you just have to chill out. Anybody who gets frustrated or rejects people that come up to them to say nice things is an a*******."
Pegg explained that he has been able to debunk the "bizarre mythology" surrounding Cruise, 64, and enjoys being "normal" with the Rain Man actor.
The Shaun of the Dead star said: "I've been able to hack my way through all the bizarre mythology that surrounds him - I like being normal with him."
Meanwhile, Pegg has been open about the fact that he used to drink heavily when depressed and believes he would still be an alcoholic if he wasn't in the spotlight.
Asked whether he would still be boozing if it wasn't for fame, the Hot Fuzz star - who has been sober for the past 16 years - said: "Yes. Fame didn't cause it, it might have exacerbated it at times and thrown it into sharper relief but, no, it was in me before and just happened slightly in public rather than in private."
Pegg explained that he wants to "live a long life" and has got into shape through daily 10k runs and strength workouts.
He said: "Well, after I quit drinking I decided to get into shape. There was something positive about just looking after myself, and I love working out because it gets endorphins flowing and gives me a routine.
"The guys that were 56 when I was a kid seemed like my f****** grandad, and I just want to live for a long time. Because, you know what? I like life."
Pegg credits a stint in mental health hospital The Priory in 2010 for saving his life and admits that nerves prevented him from telling the public about it for eight years.
He said: "I was nervous.
"And it's not that as if I assume that anything I say is of great importance, but if someone found some connection? Great. Because going through pain can be very lonely.
"I was someone people thought was superficially all right, but was not all right and that can make people think, 'Oh, everyone feels like this - not just me.'"
