Hoda Kotb Reveals She Met Her ‘Dream’ Celebrity at the 2024 Paris Olympics: See the Photo

Hoda Kotb has always been a firm believer that dreams do come true! The Today host got to check an item off of her bucket list while covering the Paris Olympics, sharing that she met one of her favorite celebrities of all time.

On July 27, Hoda, 59, shared a photo on her Instagram page with Tom Cruise, whom she met during the Olympics.

“Do you know when you dream of meeting Tom Cruise … And then it finally happens,” she captioned the post. The NBC personality wore a poncho to combat Paris’ rainy weather, while the Top Gun actor sported wet hair and a smile on his face.

Hoda reflected on the magical moment during a Monday, July 29, Today episode, recalling costar Jenna Bush Hager’s reaction to the photo. “Because I said I’d always kind of dreamed of this moment, she goes, ‘Did your dream include a terrible poncho?'” Hoda said.

“Hey, that’s what makes it better,” Al Roker chimed in.

Savannah Guthrie, who is also on assignment in Paris, remembered what it was like seeing Tom while watching the opening ceremony.

“It was a moment that none of us will forget,” Savannah, 52, said. “Hoda got the picture. It’s incredible.”

The Mostly What God Does author went on to say that a lot of the celebrities in attendance headed back to their hotels after the opening ceremony. However, Tom stuck around, presenting Hoda with a window of opportunity to take the photo.

“We all went and sat down. Hoda’s gone. We’re like, ‘Where did Hoda go?’” Savannah recalled. “She comes back [and] she’s like guys, I got the shot.”

“She got the shot. Soaking wet Tom Cruise and Hoda in her poncho,” Savannah added.

When asked what the conversation was like with Tom, Hoda said the Mission Impossible star was “very nice to everybody” and “was taking pictures with everybody.” Hoda, who is a huge fan of Team U.S.A’s gymnastics team, attended women’s gymnastics events in the days following the opening ceremony. Tom was also in attendance to watch the gymnasts take the mat.

“He recognized you and he was like, ‘Oh, you’re here [to cover the Olympics].’ And then he followed you to the gymnastics [competition]. You guys keep hanging out,” Savannah told the Today crowd.

While the Olympics have gotten off to an amazing start for Hoda, she revealed that it was difficult to leave her two daughters, Haley and Hope, at home. The mom of two did, however, share the sweet ways she is staying connected to her girls while abroad.

On Instagram, Hoda revealed she adorably made clocks for her kids to know what time it is in Paris and what time it is in New York where they live. “Clocks for my kids,” she captioned the cute picture.

During a July 22 episode of Today, Hoda also revealed her other cute gesture for her daughters while she is away.

“I do a loop a day where we hide a little something like stickers or hair ties, and then they know how many days are left,” she told her costars.