In anticipation of the release of the action-thriller Mission: Impossible III, Paramount Pictures will roll out the red carpet for the world premiere in Rome on April 24.

Cruise will be joined by several members of the cast including Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q and Laurence Fishburne for the Rome premier.

Director JJ Abrams and producer Paula Wagner will also be in attendance.

The world premiere in Rome starts a week of premieres around the world. Tom Cruise returns as Special Agent Ethan Hunt, who faces the mission of his life.

Monaghan said Cruise - who has produced all three Mission films - was "a consummate professional" on the set.

As was Hoffman, who won an Oscar last month for his performance in the biopic Capote. Monaghan said he was so chilling as the villain, she was still scared when the cameras stopped rolling.

"He couldn't be a nicer fellow, he's such a good guy and he's so funny," Monaghan said of Hoffman.

"But the minute I heard 'action' and he was in character, he gave me goosebumps - I didn't have to act, I was honestly pretty frightened.

"Then I'd hear 'cut' and he'd be back to being himself and would be normal and say things like 'So what are you going to do for lunch?'."

Monaghan and a relieved White continued walking, but that was when Abrams, the creator of the hit TV shows Lost and Alias, called. A few days earlier in Los Angeles, Monaghan had auditioned with Cruise for the role of his love interest in the action film.

"He said 'Michelle it's JJ. So, do you think you really want to be a part of Mission: Impossible III?'," Monaghan recalled.

"I was like 'Yeah'.

"He said 'Great, because Tom and I think you are going to be amazing and we're going to have a ball making it'.

"I started to cry because I'm so dramatic and JJ said 'Don't cry about it'.

"I felt like such an idiot."