WATCH: Tom Cruise fan WOWED as he stood in a heart drawn in sand in Hoedspruit

Veteran American actor Tom Cruise literally left his footprints in the heart of a teenager from Hoedspruit while filming Mission: Impossible 8. 

TOM CASUALLY WALKED OVER TO CHAT WITH THE LOCALS 

The teenager, Savanna Owtram and her mother, Melanie, were part of a group of locals waiting to catch a glimpse of Cruise as he landed with a helicopter on Tuesday.

Before he made his appearance, Savanna decided to draw a massive heart in the sand with the actor’s name inside.  

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To her utter surprise, Tom casually walked over and chatted with the excited group of locals and thanked Savanna for the heart. 

TOM’S REACTION TO THE HEART WAS PRICELESS 

“It is beautiful thank you so much,” the hunk of an actor said. He also thanked the locals for coming out. 

“Yesterday, my daughter Savanna decided while we were waiting to draw a huge heart in the sand with her foot and write Tom in the middle while everyone was watching her.

“Then Tom arrived, and we really didn’t expect the reaction that he gave! After he had handed over the helicopter to the other pilot, he walked across to the crowd, slowly removing his mask. 

“However he always stays a distance from everyone due to covid regulations. Everyone was telling him to look down as when he stopped, he was standing in his heart!” Melanie said. 

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HE HAD A HUGE SMILE ON HIS FACE WHEN HE SAW THE HEART

She added that when he eventually realised what people were saying, and he looked down and saw the heart, he couldn’t believe it and had a huge smile on his face. 

 “I think he felt quite humbled and appreciated it. Savanna said she felt over the moon as he was standing on her heart and was totally ecstatic about it. She wasn’t expecting for him to notice it and have such a big reaction and to say thank you to her personally.”

Melanie said Tom uses a helicopter to fly to and from the film location daily, which he pilots himself. 

THE TOWN HAS BEEN BUZZING SINCE HIS ARRIVAL 

“It lands in a clearing just outside our Wildlife Estate gates in town every morning to collect him. Tom Cruise arrives with his security, and he and the director and various other people climb into the six-seater helicopter while Tom walks around and does pre-flight checks before taking off,” she explained. 

According to Melanie, they know when he is due to arrive as his security are sitting waiting for him in their cars. 

“The people of Hoedspruit gather in anticipation, waiting for his arrival. The security guards are extremely friendly and chat and even take selfies with the kids.  

“When the helicopter appears, they put a rope across the entrance and everyone stands and watches calmly,” she said. 

The small town in Limpopo has been a buzz with Tom Cruise talk. 

“However it’s been so nice as everyone has been so respectful towards him, which I think has made him appreciate our little Bush town. It’s also fantastic that it’s helped put our town on the map. Hopefully, it’s bringing much-needed financial support to the community as we are mainly a tourism-driven town with game reserves surrounding us, and since covid many people of Hoedspruit have been struggling due to lack of tourists.” 

Savanna said she thinks Tom Cruise seems to be a really nice person and appreciates his fans. 

‘HE IS STILL VERY GENTLY ON THE EYE!’ 

“I have to say he is still very gentle on the eye and doesn’t look any different from when he starred in Top Gun!!” Melanie said. 

In the video, Tom is also heard saying it is beautiful in Hoedspruit and that he wouldn’t mind living there permanently. 

He also said they had wanted to film here for a long time and that he works seven days a week. 

Tom is busy shooting the eighth installment of the Mission: Impossible film series.

It is believed the production team will be filming in Durban and Cape Town. 

TOM WILL BE IN DURBAN FOR THREE MONTHS 

“We are set to be in Durban for three months as from 6 February for Mission Impossible and possibly a week in Cape Town,” a source told the media. 

The film that sees Tom take on the role of Ethan Hunt, was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 will be the final movies in the series for Tom Cruise.