Last week, the cast of Mission: Impossible 8 – The Final Reckoning went to Tokyo for one of their first stops on what will probably be a grueling, months-long promotional tour. If Tom Cruise is going to do anything, it’s run a cast ragged, all to promote their film in every city in the world. The MI films are Tom’s baby – he loves playing Ethan Hunt, he loves doing all of this bonkers stunt work, and he loves this franchise so much. Obviously, Tom has been playing this game for decades and he knows how to work a promo tour. Which is why it’s no surprise that Tom is suddenly being seen everywhere with Ana de Armas. Every week for the past three months, it feels like they’re being spotted by paparazzi, usually in London. It’s always just one pap who sells the photos as mega-exclusives too, so suspicious! So what’s up? Just a little dash of spice for Tom’s MI promo? Or something more?

Last Saturday, Ana de Armas and Tom Cruise were on something of a mission impossible. The two were trying to covertly move through London after attending David Beckham’s 50th birthday at the Michelin-starred restaurant Core in tony Notting Hill. It wasn’t exactly a successful endeavor. Hollywood’s biggest action movie star, 62, and the Cuban actress, 37, were snapped by paparazzi in the backseat of a black SUV leaving the party. In one photograph, Cruise looks at the camera and nonchalantly flashes his famous pearly whites, while de Armas ducks down so that her face can’t be seen.

The picture is the latest incident involving the stars to set tongues wagging and generate speculation about a possible romance. They “had a blast” at the event, “they came together and had a great night and clearly enjoy hanging out,” a fellow partygoer at the Beckham birthday bash told Page Six. “But I couldn’t say any more than that … I’ve no proof it’s romantic.”

The source added that Cruise was “so cool, so nice to everyone” at the high-wattage soiree, which was also attended by Guy Ritchie, Eva Longoria and Gordon Ramsay. “He’s a proper movie star,” they added.

Whatever they are or aren’t, it’s sure to be an action-packed summer for them both. Cruise stars in “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”— the franchise’s eighth installment, out May 23. De Armas will be at the multiplex soon after, starring as a ballerina assassin in “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” — the fifth “John Wick” movie, out June 6.

A source who worked with De Armas on “Ballerina” told Page Six their public sightings may be more professional than personal.

“I’m sure if they’re friends he’s mentored her. I’m sure she’s called him for advice,” the source told Page Six. “I’m sure they conversed on [things like] ‘this is how the stunt guys do it.’ I’m sure he gives her a lot of tips — he’s a legend in the stunt world.”

[From Page Six]

If Ana is doing all of this with her eyes wide open, good for her. She’s showing some hustle, she’s showing that she knows how to play the game, and if Tom is really mentoring her, she’ll learn a lot from his tutelage. I wonder if they’ll both raise the stakes though – the only thing keeping this Tom & Ana story from really becoming major gossip is that no one really believes that they would seriously date each other. It’s always like “hey, that’s weird, Tom and Ana keep going out, I bet they’re just friends!” Before MI8 comes out in a few weeks, do you think they’ll up the ante? Maybe get “caught” leaving a hotel together? Maybe a paparazzo will catch them kissing in the back of a taxi?

Incidentally, Ana was asked about Tom this week, and she was basically like… we’re planning on working together. She suggested that there is some kind of professional mentorship too.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.