Rebecca Ferguson began her career as a model when she was a preteen in Sweden. But Ferguson told The Guardian in 2019 that she hated it, and ended up never even booking a real job. Instead, she turned to acting at age 15, landing the lead role on a Swedish soap opera called "Nya Tider," or New Times. After the role ended, she worked in other jobs, unsure about continuing a show business career. But she eventually returned to acting, including a role in the soap "Ocean Ave." and films like "VI" and slasher "Drowning Ghost."
Ferguson received international attention, including a Golden Globe nomination when she played the title character of the 2013 BBC mini-series "The White Queen," former commoner and eventual Queen of England, Elizabeth Woodville. Elle Magazine even proclaimed "a star is born" regarding Ferguson's performance when the series aired.
And indeed, Tom Cruise reportedly hand-picked Ferguson for her first major American film after viewing the show, which led to the somewhat unknown actor co-starring in the massive "Mission: Impossible" franchise (via Daily Mirror). The tabloid quoted an anonymous source who alleged that "Tom thinks Rebecca is a future global film star."
