Mission impossible? 94-year-old star channels Tom Cruise in ‘Thelma’

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LOS ANGELES – Packed full of nail-biting chases, hi-tech gadgets and an armed standoff, “Thelma” could be the next “Mission: Impossible” movie — except its star, June Squibb, is 94.
In the film, Squibb’s hero takes matters into her own hands after she is swindled into sending $10,000 to a scammer, racing across Los Angeles on a souped-up mobility scooter with a dusty old gun, determined to confront the villain.
Remarkably, the action-comedy, which premiered at the Sundance festival on Thursday, is the first leading film role for the veteran stage actor, who earned an Oscar nomination for “Nebraska” a decade ago.
So how does it feel to become Hollywood’s hottest new action star in her twilight years?
“It feels great! I love it! Me and Tom (Cruise)!” Squibb told AFP.
Indeed, the film is littered with references to Tom Cruise, whose films her character Thelma enjoys watching with her grandson.
It plays with tropes from the “Mission: Impossible” films, such as a top-secret mission briefing delivered through a hearing aid. Cruise himself signed off on the use of footage from his movies. 
“I said ‘Is he letting us do this?’ And they said ‘Sure, they like it!'” recalled Squibb. 
Squibb also took more personal inspiration from the Hollywood A-lister — including his famous insistence on doing many of his own stunts. 
“They told me ‘Slow down June, don’t go so fast!'” she said, of a chase sequence on her mobility scooter which required a collision.
“I thought ‘this is silly,’ and I just rammed right into him and then took off down the hall. And they got that all on camera.”
The movie’s colorful premise and stars — including the late Richard Roundtree, and Malcolm McDowell — have it already tipped as one of the “buzziest” titles at this year’s Sundance festival, which champions independent filmmaking.