Simon Pegg reveals how ‘Mission: Impossible’ helped him through dark time

Simon Pegg looked back on his first day on the set of 2006's Mission: Impossible III ahead of The Final Reckoning release.

Pegg, who played Benji Dunn the film’s IT nerd and comic foil in almost five spy action films – recalled filming one of the biggest scene of the franchise.

In conversation with the Variety magazine, he revealed that he filmed a scene reciting an "eight-page f----g monologue" on his very first day about an unknown terror threat known as the Rabbit’s Foot. And, he "only had the morning to learn."

Pegg shared that he was unable to appreciate the experience since he was dealing with depression.

"I was trying to manage by anaesthetising myself. It was less of being alcoholic, more being dependent on the sensation," he told the outlet.

By 2011’s Ghost Protocol, his role was upgraded from doing a monotonous job and was given a gun, out on field with Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt as an agent.

He shared that by that time everyone on set knew about his addiction and "they had a sober companion" to look after him. "I felt very taken care of and felt valued, because they bothered to do that."

The Hot Fuzz actor also remembered Cruise getting involved in his well-being joking that he needs to get in shape for the film because he is "an agent now."

When sobriety started to kick in, Pegg revealed that he "found joy in looking after [himself]" and "realising that if [he] ate well and went to the gym [he] could actually feel good."

Expressing his gratitude to the franchise, Pegg continued, "I credit 'Mission' with rescuing me because it gave me real focus at a time when I needed focus. And I just had the best time on Ghost Protocol."

The final part of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is slated for release on May 23rd.