A recent red-carpet exchange between Sydney Sweeney and Tom Cruise at the 2025 Governors Awards has taken the internet by storm, sparking speculation about what the two stars were discussing so animatedly. Now, a professional lip reader has offered new insight into the moment — and it turns out the conversation was far more intense and career-focused than fans initially guessed.

Jacqui Press told the Daily Mail that the actors’ chat at the 2025 Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday was strictly about work.Variety via Getty Images

According to expert Jacqui Press, who spoke to the Daily Mail, Sweeney was enthusiastically describing the physical toll of filming her upcoming biographical drama “Christy,” in which she portrays boxing icon Christy Martin. Press claims the 28-year-old actress told Cruise that she endured several injuries during production: “I’ve never broken a bone, [but] I sliced my face open,” she reportedly said, recounting a bloody nose, a concussion, and even stitches sustained during the film’s “real” fight sequences.

Press explained that Sweeney, 28, told the 63-year-old action-movie star about the injuries she sustained while filming her new biopic, “Christy.”WireImage

Sweeney has been praised for performing many of her own boxing scenes, and Press said the actress emphasized that the injuries were a result of her commitment to portraying Martin with authenticity. The film required months of intensive training, and Sweeney has previously acknowledged pushing herself beyond her limits to mirror Martin’s grit, physicality, and emotional depth.

Sydney Sweeney and Tom Cruise’s recent interaction went viral, and now a lip reader is weighing in on their intriguing conversation.REUTERS

Cruise, 63, is no stranger to on-set injuries. Though his response couldn’t be read — his back was turned to the camera — the Mission: Impossible star is famously dedicated to performing his own stunts. Over his four-decade career, he has suffered a broken ankle, cracked ribs, a torn shoulder, and numerous scrapes and burns. Fans online quickly joked that Sweeney had found the one person in Hollywood who would understand her battle scars on a personal level.

“I’ve never broken a bone, [but] I sliced my face open,” she allegedly said, elaborating that she ended up with a bloody nose and a concussion while shooting “real” fight scenes. She also mentioned “stitches.”John Salangsang/Shutterstock

Despite Sweeney’s excited energy during the exchange, Press insisted the actress kept the tone professional throughout, even as viewers later circulated slowed-down clips suggesting she appeared starstruck.

Sweeney attended the ceremony in a shimmering silver off-the-shoulder gown featuring a sweetheart neckline and dramatic draped back, drawing praise from fashion critics on social media. Cruise, newly single following his recent split from actress Ana de Armas, opted for a classic black tuxedo and bowtie, staying true to his signature awards-show style.

According to Press, Sweeney attributed the injuries to her commitment to portraying boxing legend Christy Martin as accurately as possible.AP

Cruise can relate, as he has sustained multiple injuries while performing stunts throughout his 40-year career, including a broken ankle, a torn shoulder and cracked ribs.©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Later in the evening, Cruise received a prestigious Academy Honorary Award, delivering a heartfelt speech that visibly moved the room. “The cinema — it takes me around the world,” he said. “It helps me appreciate and respect differences. It shows our shared humanity… in that theater, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together.” He closed by declaring that filmmaking is not just his profession but his identity: “It is who I am.”

The unexpected viral moment between Sweeney and Cruise has only fueled public anticipation for “Christy,” while also reminding fans of Cruise’s enduring influence in Hollywood — and the intense dedication both actors bring to their craft.

(Sources: Daily Mail, BBC News, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter)