Just when you thought the Olympics had reached its peak, Tom Cruise dove into the closing ceremony. On Sunday night, the sixty-two-year-old actor channeled his Mission: Impossible persona and jumped from the stadium’s roof. The leap was a nod to the location of the 2028 Summer Olympics: Los Angeles, baby. What better way is there to pass the torch than with a Hollywood stunt? Naturally, Cruise’s big moment was accompanied by a sizzling guitar solo from H.E.R. After he landed, he took the Olympic flag, hopped on a motorcycle, and drove out of the venue.
That’s not all that happened, though. The closing ceremony also featured performances from Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was the perfect way to conclude the past two-plus weeks. Team USA went home with the most medals, collecting 126 in total, followed by China, which earned ninety-one.
All the athletes finally had their moment to celebrate, which was well received given the Olympics’ chaotic final days. After winning the bronze for her floor routine, Jordan Chiles was forced to return her medal over a point discrepancy—sparking a social-media uproar. Meanwhile, Australian breaker Raygun’s routine went viral. (Just...watch it below.) And the Internet was convinced that Beyoncé would sing a few Cowboy Carter songs at the closing ceremony. (She didn’t.)
If you think about it, Cruise diving into the arena was one of the most average things that happened at the Olympics. Don’t believe me? Keep reading—we’ve rounded up all the viral reactions and memes to come from the 2024 Summer Games.
As an associate staff writer at Esquire, McNeal covers pop culture, music, and television. You'll find her writing about Hulu’s Under the Bridge and Only Murders in The Building, along with thorough film and television round-ups that make binge-watching much easier. On the music front, she writes album reviews and profiles artists like Niall Horan and The Last Dinner Party. She also crafts whip-smart essays: (See: Jordan Peele's Us is his best film to date.) Before working at Esquire, she covered entertainment at NYLON. You can also find her writing in Refinery29 and InStyle. When she’s not working, McNeal is likely scouring the city for the best crab rangoon, attending a dance class, or gardening in her backyard.
Follow her on Instagram and TikTok @bmcneal17
