Tom Cruise's Approach to Stunts Is Too Much for Even Matt Damon

The Jason Bourne star told Conan O'Brien the story of how the Mission: Impossible actor pulled off one of his famous stunts

For years, fans have watched Matt Damon and Tom Cruise star in classic action movies. They've seen Damon transform into Jason Bourne for the Bourne series and Cruise channel Ethan Hunt for the Mission: Impossible movies. 

But when it comes to performing stunts, the actors have very different approaches. Damon explained how during Monday's episode of Conan.

Damon once grabbed dinner with Cruise and Emily Blunt in London. During the meal, the Top Gun star told him he'd been wanting to do a certain stunt sequence for a Mission: Impossible movie for years. But after Cruise ran the idea by the "safety guy," he was allegedly told the stunt was too dangerous and that he couldn't do it. Of course, Cruise didn't take no for an answer. 

"'So, I get another safety guy,'" Damon said, recalling Cruise's reaction. 

That's when Damon realized he couldn't compete with Cruise.

"I looked at him and I'm like, 'Well, I'm tapping out because you win. You are the best,'" he said. "At that point, when the safety guy, whose only job is to keep you safe, says 'That's too dangerous,' my reaction is 'Too bad we can't do that sequence I came up with. It would have been really cool.' His reaction is 'No, we're getting another safety guy.'"

In addition to retelling Cruise's story, Damon also admitted he's afraid of heights.

Watch the video to see his full interview.