tom cruise top gun dance

Tom Cruise’s Legacy: ‘Top Gun' Success and His Infamous Dance Moves

Up next ashley judd shows off scars 3 years after near-death accident in the congo.

• MAY 14,2024

Ashley Judd Shows Off Scars 3 Years After Near-Death Accident in the Congo

Kyle Richards Panics Over Rat on Her Car

'DWTS': Julianne Hough Thanks 'Magical' Fans for Helping Heal Hayley Erbert With Prayer (Exclusive)

Katy Perry's Final 'American Idol' Episode: Ryan Seacrest Reveals Performance and More Details

Kelly Clarkson and More Stars Who've Confessed to Using Weight-Loss Shots

Inside the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Preparations

Tom Brady Would Never Do Comedy Roast Again for This One Reason

Why Dan + Shay Aren't Coming Back to 'The Voice' for Season 26 (Exclusive)

‘IF’: John Krasinski Confirms Brad Pitt Plays Invisible Character Keith (Exclusive)

Why Cher Credits Bob Mackie for 'Some of My Success' (Exclusive)

Reese Witherspoon Announces ‘Legally Blonde’ Prequel! Everything We Know About Elle Woods' TV Return

'Bridgerton' Stars Share Seductive Tune-In Teases for Season 3 (Exclusive)

Kevin Costner Hits Back at 'Yellowstone' Drama: What's Next for Show as John Dutton's Fate Is in Limbo

Jimmy Fallon Reacts to Rare, Pre-'SNL' ET Footage and More Career Milestones | rETrospective

'9-1-1' Crew Member Killed in Car Accident, Angela Bassett and More React

Kate Upton on 'Meaningful' Return to 'Sports Illustrated' After Having Daughter Vivi (Exclusive)

Carol Burnett Has the Perfect Reaction to Landing a Lifetime Achievement Award (Exclusive)

'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’ Cover Reveal! Gayle King Reacts to Her 'Hot Mama' Moment (Exclusive)

Kelly Clarkson Reveals She Used Weight-Loss Shots After Weighing Over 200 Pounds

Steve Carell Weighs In on If He Would Return to 'The Office' Reboot (Exclusive)

• MAY 10,2024

Nia Sanchez Reacts to Miss USA Drama and Lala Kent Possibly Joining 'The Valley' (Exclusive)

Ricki Lake on Being Motivated to Lose Weight After a Doctor 'Pissed' Her Off (Exclusive)

Teresa Giudice Addresses 'RHONJ' Social Media and Season 14 Drama (Exclusive)

'Summer House's Jesse Solomon on 'Juicy' Season 8 Reunion and Sharing His Cancer Journey (Exclusive)

What Usher Says Inspirated His ‘Exotic’ Met Gala Look (Exclusive)

Why Camila Cabello Carried a Block of Ice as Purse to 2024 Met Gala (Exclusive)

Met Gala 2024: Doja Cat Explains Soaking Wet T-Shirt Look (Exclusive)

Lana Del Rey Channels Her ‘Inner Animal’ With 2024 Met Gala Look (Exclusive)

Met Gala 2024: Lil Nas X Shares Personal Meaning Behind His Look (Exclusive)

Met Gala 2024: Anne Hathaway Gave Nicholas Galitzine ‘Pep Talk’ Ahead of His Debut (Exclusive)

Met Gala 2024: Inside the Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion Exhibit

Ayo Edebiri on Attending Her First Met Gala (Exclusive)

Kevin Hart Pokes Fun at ‘Ugly’ Tom Brady Roast He Expects to ‘Lose’ Friendship Over (Exclusive)

Anitta Reacts to Fans Shipping Her and Peso Pluma After Steamy Coachella Performance (Exclusive)

Gypsy Rose Blanchard on 'Soulmate' Boyfriend Ken, New Docuseries & Her 'Pretty Girl Era' (Exclusive)

Melissa Gorga Reacts to 'RHONJ's Move Away From Family Drama in Season 14 (Exclusive)

Priscilla Presley's Son Navarone Garcia on His Road to Sobriety and Past Struggles With Drug Use

‘Hacks' Season 3: Jean Smart Reveals Which A-Lister Is on Her Dream Guest Star List (Exclusive)

• APR 29,2024

'Welcome to Wrexham's Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Say Hugh Jackman Is Jealous of Their Bromance

'Dance Moms' Stars Share Where They Stand With Abby Lee Miller (Exclusive)

Advertisement

Why does Tom Cruise do his own stunts? ‘No one asked Gene Kelly, ‘Why do you dance?’’

Cruise spoke at the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

• Share full article

By Kyle Buchanan

• May 18, 2022

CANNES, France — It has been 30 years since Tom Cruise attended the Cannes Film Festival, and it’s evident the festival would like to make up for lost time.

Perhaps that’s why, in advance of a conversation with the actor billed as a “Rendezvous with Tom Cruise” — which was itself happening in advance of the evening premiere of Cruise’s sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” — the festival played a nearly 15-minute-long clip reel of Cruise’s filmography, hyperbolically scored to Richard Strauss’s “Also sprach Zarathustra.” As the actor and audience watched from their seats, the reel touched on Cruise the action star, Cruise the dramatic thespian and Cruise the romantic, though the latter section, which featured him pitching woo at a bevy of leading ladies, notably left out Cruise’s ex-wife and three-time co-star Nicole Kidman.

“It’s wild seeing this reel,” Cruise said after taking the stage. “It’s like your life in ten minutes — very trippy.”

Cruise was speaking in front of a mostly unmasked crowd in the Salle Claude Debussy, which included hundreds of journalists and a team from Cruise’s agent, CAA. “After everything we’ve been through, it’s such a privilege to see your faces,” he said. He noted that “Top Gun: Maverick” had been held for two years because of the pandemic, though he refused to show it on a streaming service in the meantime. “Not gonna happen!” Cruise said to applause.

The 59-year-old star is insistent that his movies receive a lengthy theatrical window, a mandate that has sometimes put him in conflict with studio heads, who are eager to fill their streaming services with star-driven content. And in an era where big names like Leonardo DiCaprio and Sandra Bullock have no problem appearing in films for Netflix, Cruise remains a rare holdout.

“There’s a very specific way to make a movie for cinema, and I make movies for the big screen,” said Cruise. “I know where they go after that and that’s fine.” He said he even called theater owners during the pandemic to reassure them: “Just know we are making ‘Mission: Impossible.’ ‘Top Gun’ is coming out.”

Cruise is a discursive speaker who will leap out of one anecdote before it’s done to land in another, then another. (Perhaps that would make for an esoteric set piece in one of his action films?) But it was striking how often he returned to his formative experience shooting the 1981 movie “Taps,” in which he acted opposite George C. Scott and found himself fascinated by the way the filmmaking worked. Cruise said that while shooting, he thought, “Please, if I could just do this for the rest of my life, I will never take it for granted.”

And in the absence of any challenging questions from his interlocutor, the French journalist Didier Allouch — who was mostly content to burble blandishments like “You're absolutely extraordinary” to his interview subject — Cruise had the freedom to basically spin his own narrative of being a determined student of cinema and his fellow man. (And “Taps,” of course.)

“I was the kind of kid who always wrote goals on the wall of what kind of movies I liked or what I wanted my life to be, and I worked toward those goals,” Cruise said.

Though the conversation increasingly leaned toward bland generalities — “I’m interested in people, cultures, and adventure,” Cruise said more than once — it did provide one major laugh line when Allouch asked why he was so determined to do his own stunts in the “Mission: Impossible” movies, which will soon be receiving seventh and eighth installments shot back-to-back.

“No one asked Gene Kelly ‘Why do you dance?’” replied the star.

Kyle Buchanan , a Los Angeles-based pop culture reporter, writes The Projectionist column. He was previously a senior editor at Vulture, New York Magazine's entertainment website, where he covered the movie industry. More about Kyle Buchanan

Top Gun: Maverick’s Miles Teller Reveals The Origin Of His Viral Shirtless Dance

The dance took the Internet by storm.

Top Gun : Maverick pretty much has everything a moviegoer could want out of a summer blockbuster. It’s got Tom Cruise , a lovable cast, impressive jets and of course, a scene that involves shirtless pilots playing football on a beach. That last element gained a significant amount of attention, especially because of Miles Teller (who plays Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw). During the sequence, Teller did a shirtless dance that’s since gone viral . The actor has already responded to the hype but is now providing some more insight into his major movie moment. 

The football scene takes place during the sequel's second act and, in it, Tom Cruise’s Maverick uses the game to build camaraderie among his Top Gun recruits. The teacher’s method proves to be effective, and the end result is a fun sequence filled with sand, sun and glistening abs. Miles Teller’s were on full display when he danced, and the actor seemed to be more than comfortable while jamming out. He spoke about his moves during his appearance on DESUS & MERO , explaining that it’s somewhat inspired by a classic movie:

That was a move that me and my buddies would just bust out at parties and shit. Because I think, for me dancing has always been ‘don’t take yourself too seriously.’ So I’m sure people could find it online, I always knew that dance as the Weekend at Bernie’s dance. Where you’re king of dead and your shoulders go back.

Now that I think about it, that definitely tracks, but it also worked for that moment. Based on the vibe of the sequence, it seemed like all of the stars felt a level of freedom while filming it. That’s likely because, at the time, they weren’t sure what was going to make the final cut, according to the Rooster actor:

But to be fair, in the beach when we did that scene nobody knew when the cameras were on them. Because we just kind of did some stuff and they were just running it. So I had no idea that they even caught that moment.

It was clear way before the film’s release that the football scene was meant to parallel the original film’s shirtless volleyball sequence, a moment that “Danger Zone” singer Kenny Loggins believes is important . (I’d actually argue that the sequel’s big beach game is more vital to the sequel’s plot, though). All in all, the Top Gun: Maverick actors busted their bums to get prepared for the scene, except for Tom Cruise – who apparently didn’t need much prep.

While Miles Teller did his share of prep, his co-star, Glen Powell , really committed to getting himself right before the cameras started rolling. Fellow Maverick alum Lewis Pullman remembered their training and recalled Powell repeating a funny chant to himself . But after the work was done, he was finally able to chow down and unwind a bit. I’d assume some of his castmates did the same. 

Glen Powell’s aforementioned chant was “montages last forever,” and I think it’s safe to say that moviegoers are never going to forget the football sequence or Miles Teller’s dance. I’m sure plenty of people are hoping that he and Cruise do reunite for Top Gun 3 so that he gets another chance to bust a move.

Those eager to revisit or check out the moment for the first time can see Top Gun: Maverick in theaters now.

CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Now You See Me 3: What We Know So Far

After The Met Gala, Rita Ora Took A Break And Rocked Not One But Two Sheer Looks On Vacation

'He Didn't Take Himself Seriously': The Sweet 8 Simple Rules Memory Kaley Cuoco Shared With John Ritter Before His Death

Most Popular

• 2 The 15 Best Nicktoons From The '90s And 2000s, Ranked
• 3 'We Had Something Special:' The Full Story Behind How Bridgerton Season 3 Adapted Penelope And Colin’s Love Story
• 4 Apparently, Jerry Seinfeld Wanted Chris Rock For An Oscars Slap Redemption Scene In Unfrosted. Even He Isn’t Sure It Would’ve Worked
• 5 Along With Posting About 'Save NCIS: Hawaiʻi' Campaigns, Vanessa Lachey And The Cast Reunited And Shared Sweet Sunset Pics

Top Gun: Maverick

Cast & crew.

• Director | Joseph Kosinski
• Written by | Ehren Kruger & Eric Warren Singer & Christopher McQuarrie
• Producer | Jerry Bruckheimer
• Producer | Tom Cruise
• Producer | Christopher McQuarrie
• Producer | David Ellison
• Executive Producer | Tommy Harper
• Executive Producer | Dana Goldberg
• Executive Producer | Don Granger
• Executive Producer | Chad Oman
• Executive Producer | Mike Stenson
• Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell | Tom Cruise
• Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky | Val Kilmer
• Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw | Miles Teller
• Penny Benjamin | Jennifer Connelly
• Vice Admiral Cyclone | Jon Hamm
• Rear Admiral | Ed Harris
• Jake 'Hangman' Seresin | Glen Powell
• Soloman 'Warlock' Bates | Charles Parnell
• Bernie 'Hondo' Coleman | Bashir Salahuddin
• Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace | Monica Barbaro
• Robert 'Bob' Floyd | Lewis Pullman
• Reuben 'Payback' Fitch | Jay Ellis
• Mickey 'Fanboy' Garcia | Danny Ramirez
• Javy 'Coyote' Machado | Greg Tarzan Davis

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Top Gun: Maverick

After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ... Read all After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it. After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

• Joseph Kosinski
• Jack Epps Jr.
• Peter Craig
• Jennifer Connelly
• Miles Teller
• 4.3K User reviews
• 437 Critic reviews
• 78 Metascore
• 107 wins & 234 nominations total

• Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell

• Penny Benjamin

• Lt. Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw

• Adm. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky

• CWO4 Bernie 'Hondo' Coleman

• Adm. Beau 'Cyclone' Simpson

• Adm. Solomon 'Warlock' Bates

• Lt. Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace

• Lt. Robert 'Bob' Floyd

• Lt. Reuben 'Payback' Fitch

• Lt. Mickey 'Fanboy' Garcia

• Lt. Jake 'Hangman' Seresin

• Lt. Neil 'Omaha' Vikander

• Lt. Billy 'Fritz' Avalone

• Lt. Callie 'Halo' Bassett

• Lt. Javy 'Coyote' Machado

• Lt. Brigham 'Harvard' Lennox

• Lt. Logan 'Yale' Lee
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia According to Miles Teller , the cast got to choose their own call signs. He chose "Rooster" because it was in the same family as "Goose."
• Goofs At 1h12'10" Coyote is in G-LOC, releases the stick and his aircraft falls towards the ground. Super-hornet are equipped with auto GCAS (automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System), which would react to the situation and take control to climb and level at a safe altitude with no obstacles.

Rear Admiral : Maverick. Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations. Only man to shoot down three enemy planes in the last 40 years.

[Cain looks through pages of Maverick's records]

Rear Admiral : 'Distinguished.' 'Distinguished.' 'Distinguished.' Yet you can't get a promotion, you won't retire, and, despite your best efforts, you refuse to die. You should be at least a two-star admiral by now, if not a senator. Yet here you are: Captain. Why is that?

Maverick : It's one of life's mysteries, sir.

Rear Admiral : This isn't a joke. I asked you a question.

Maverick : I'm where I belong, sir.

Rear Admiral : Well, the navy doesn't see it that way. Not anymore.

Rear Admiral : These planes you've been testing, Captain, one day, sooner or later, they won't need pilots at all. Pilots that need to sleep, eat, take a piss. Pilots that disobey orders. All you did was buy some time for those men out there. The future is coming, and you're not in it.

[Cain faces the officer by the door]

Rear Admiral : Escort this man off the base. Take him to his quarters. Wait with him while he packs his gear. I want him on the road to North Island within the hour.

[surprised look on Maverick's face]

Maverick : North Island, sir?

Rear Admiral : Call came in with impeccable timing, right as I was driving here to ground your ass once and for all. It galls me to say it, but... for reasons known only to the Almighty and your guardian angel, you've been called back to Top Gun.

Maverick : Sir?

Rear Admiral : You are dismissed, Captain.

[Maverick proceeds to leave Cain's office]

Rear Admiral : The end is inevitable, Maverick. Your kind is headed for extinction.

[Maverick turns around]

Maverick : Maybe so, sir. But not today.

• Crazy credits "Top Gun 001: Tom Cruise" is listed among the other pilots who worked on the film.
• Connections Featured in Conan: Tom Cruise (2019)
• Soundtracks Danger Zone From Top Gun (1986) Original Soundtrack Written by Giorgio Moroder & Tom Whitlock Performed by Kenny Loggins Courtesy of Columbia Records By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

User reviews 4.3K

• pucciarello
• May 28, 2022
• How long is Top Gun: Maverick? Powered by Alexa
• What is the strange-looking black-colored aircraft Maverick is test-piloting at the start of the film?
• Is there a post-credits scene?
• Is it realistic that Maverick would still be in the Navy on active duty as a captain (O6) 36 years after the events of this first film?
• May 27, 2022 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Official site
• Phi Công Siêu Đẳng Maverick
• Eldorado National Forest, California, USA (Forested mountain aircraft staging area)
• Paramount Pictures
• Skydance Media
• Jerry Bruckheimer Films
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $170,000,000 (estimated)
• $718,732,821
• $126,707,459
• May 29, 2022
• $1,495,696,292

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 10 minutes
• Dolby Atmos
• IMAX 6-Track
• 12-Track Digital Sound

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

Tom Cruise on Why He Endangers His Life for Stunts: ‘No One Asked Gene Kelly, ‘Why Do You Dance?”

By Naman Ramachandran

Naman Ramachandran

• ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Swings to Top Spot Debut at U.K., Ireland Box Office 8 hours ago
• Japanese Genre-Meister Miike Takashi Signs With CAA (EXCLUSIVE) 8 hours ago
• Amazon, NBCUniversal Back Seattle-Based South Asian Film Market Tasveer Ahead of Cannes Launch (EXCLUSIVE) 11 hours ago

Tom Cruise showed just why he’s the biggest movie star in the world with his 45-minute masterclass at the Cannes Film Festival .

The sold-out crowd at the Grand Palais’ Debussy theater waited in line patiently for an hour under the blazing afternoon sun and could barely contain their impatience as festival director Thierry Fremaux introduced the event. They watched a montage of the actor’s most memorable scenes — set to Richard Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra” — then broke out in frenzied applause during the famous lip-synching sequence from “Risky Business.”

As soon as Cruise hit the stage, he received a standing ovation.

Tom Cruise has arrived at #Cannes2022 . pic.twitter.com/Y0d4dhvn8p — Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 18, 2022

Following the retrospective nature of the montage, the main thrust of Cruise’s narrative during the event was looking back at his career, with an emphasis on learning the craft of cinema. The actor talked about learning from his directors, cinematographers and producers with anecdotes from the sets of “Taps” and “Eyes Wide Shut,” among others.

Cruise recalled working with legendary director Stanley Kubrick on the 1999 erotic psychological drama “Eyes Wide Shut.”

Popular on Variety

“We spent a lot of time talking about different lighting and lenses, and the tone that he wanted in the movie. He wanted it [to be] unsettling … in his own kind of style, and it was something that we had to discover.”

Tom Cruise on working with Kubrick. #Cannes2022 pic.twitter.com/9iQb3SdcR6 — Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 18, 2022

“I’ve had some incredible times in my life. And I understand the business. I’ve been studying and learning all the way,” Cruise said.

“Preparation is everything. Even if you throw it away, it doesn’t matter,” Cruise added. “I don’t want people to see the work behind it. They don’t know the work behind it. And I don’t want them to see it. I just want them to experience the world.”

The constant learning is in aid of serving his audience, Cruise said. “I love my audience. I make movies for audiences. … I make movies for the big screen,” Cruise said.

Tom Cruise: “I make movies for the big screen.” #Cannes2022 pic.twitter.com/BaC707ZXGm — Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 18, 2022

When asked if Paramount asked him to consider releasing “Top Gun: Maverick” on a streaming platform during the pandemic, the actor said, “That was never going to happen.”

Tom Cruise on if he ever thought about releasing #TopGunMaverick on a streaming service. “That was never going to happen.” #Cannes2022 pic.twitter.com/DgLQUYe5Pe — Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 18, 2022

Speaking about why he endangered his life for stunts on the “Mission: Impossible” films, Cruise said: “No one asked Gene Kelly, ‘Why do you dance?'” He also reminisced about jumping off the roof of his house using a bedsheet as a parachute as a child.

“I always thought there’s something that I can do and I wanted to push the art form, I thought, ‘How can I immerse an audience into a movie with this kind of action? And how can I entertain them? What can I do?'”

When Cruise wanted to make “Mission: Impossible,” he says his friends told him: “That’s a terrible idea. It’s a television series.”

As for what lies ahead, Cruise said, “I always know there’s another story. I’m thinking for future always, thinking, ‘What’s the next and what’s the next.'”

More From Our Brands

Lucy liu, padma lakshmi, saweetie and more celebrate asian excellence at 2024 gold house gala, a bathroom vanity that looks like a turntable, ted leonsis plans ‘credible and strong’ new offer for nationals, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, rings of power: sauron is a master of disguise in first season 2 trailer — get the release date, verify it's you, please log in.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

Tom cruise returns to the danger zone in 'top gun: maverick'.

Bob Mondello

Three Decades after the original Top Gun , Tom Cruise returns to lead a fresh squadron of Navy fighter pilots in Top Gun: Maverick.

Copyright © 2022 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Find anything you save across the site in your account

Monica Barbaro Survived Top Gun: Maverick Thanks to Ballet and a ‘High Pain Tolerance’ 

By Emily Tannenbaum

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

When Monica Barbaro first learned she’d booked a role in Top Gun: Maverick , a pipe burst in her family home. “All hell was breaking loose,” Barbaro tells me over Zoom from Toronto, where she’s filming an upcoming Netflix spy series. “I was like, ‘Mom, I got the part and she’s not a love interest, she’s a pilot!’ We were both tearing up and she’s like, ‘I need to call the plumber.’”

Four years after receiving that call and almost three since filming wrapped in June 2019, the highly anticipated sequel to Tom Cruise ’s 1986 classic is finally here, introducing a new group of elite naval aviators. Among the adrenaline junkies vying for a spot on a dangerous mission led by Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise) is the franchise’s first female fighter pilot, Lieutenant Natasha “Phoenix” Trace.

While Barbaro’s costars include major Hollywood players like Glen Powell , Miles Teller , and Jay Ellis , the lesser-known actor had a secret advantage going into hours of grueling flight and water survival training . Now 31 years old, the San Francisco native graduated from NYU’s BFA dance program in 2010 before moving back to California to pursue a career in acting. Little did she know, years of ballet would provide the tools and “high pain tolerance” needed to remain conscious while performing aerial maneuvers in actual F-18 fighter jets.

“There was a funny moment where a couple of the guys were saying they hated going upside down, and I was like, ‘I’ve been going upside down forever,’” Barbaro says with a laugh. “I would do handstands before flights…. It helped me control some of the weird feelings of blood rushing to spaces you don’t usually want it to.” For this reason, Barbaro is one of the few actors on set who did not throw up while filming her intense flight sequences.

She may not have arrived on the set of Top Gun with a stacked IMDB profile, but that’s about to change. Aside from starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the aforementioned spy thriller, Barbaro is signed on for another TV series and two more films in various stages of filming and post-production. In Glamour’s latest installment of New Here , Monica Barbaro opens up about the inspiration behind her Top Gun character, breaking the rules on set, and what it’s like having a Barbie designed in your image.

Glamour : How did this role come about for you?

An email came in with a project called Island Plaza, and my reps were immediately like, “This is the Top Gun sequel.” I had to do a self-tape first because I was not a heavy hitter. They were like, ‘I guess she can self-tape.’ [ Laughs. ] I gave it everything. Then I got called back and got to meet director Joe Kosinski. He wanted to double-check that I wasn’t afraid of flying because we would be flying jets in this movie. And then he’s like, “Can you swim?” I was like, “Yeah.” He was like, “You’re a comfortable swimmer?” I was like, “Yeah.” You know, lying.

I had to put a flight suit on for a camera test, and that was pretty funny. I recently heard that Robert Pattinson took a selfie in the Batman suit, just in case he didn’t get it. I fully did that too. Then I auditioned again and got it.

One of the most refreshing things about Phoenix is that despite being the only woman in the group of fighter pilots, she didn’t get placed into a love interest role and was never forced to go out of her way to prove herself to her teammates or fight for respect. How did that compare to your own experience on set with such a male-dominated cast?

Phoenix was modeled after a lot of amazing women that I got to meet and that I got to fly with in this movie. They are awesome, and when they were speaking, people would listen. I know, it’s not always been like that for women in aviation. I’m sure there’ve been times when they were disrespected, which was represented somewhat by Hangman’s (Powell’s) personality. But they’re badass fighter pilots and they held their own.

By Kathleen Walsh

By Sam Reed

By Héloïse Salessy

As for filming, there was a lot of art imitating life. Tom Cruise developed this intense training program, and we all became really bonded because we realized that nobody really understood what we were going through. It wasn’t like anything any other actor had ever experienced.

How many hours of training did you go through?

Well, we did somewhere around 40 hours of flight training and a fair amount of ground school for flying. Everyone did a ton of swim training in case you have to eject over water. It’s not just swimming; you get pushed off this high-rise and have to fall in the pool and unstrap your parachute. There’s one drill where the wind is pulling the parachute and pulling you across the water. I did extra swimming because I was really nervous about that.

Is that fun or terrifying?

A little bit of both. I’ve come to realize I’m not an adrenaline junkie, but it was really fun. You just feel so purposeful training for those things and doing those things. I think we all had to overcome some big fears at different times.

If you had an on-set superlative, what would it be?

Everyone loves to talk about the fact that I didn’t throw up. So, least likely to throw up would be cool.

Who threw up?

A lot of people. Honestly, my hat goes off to them because the idea of throwing up regularly and then continuing this job is just insane to me. I mean, this movie was intense on the ground , let alone in the air. On top of that, they had to throw up and recover and keep filming. Jay Ellis and I were basically the ones who didn’t.

How does it feel to have your own official Barbie doll ?

It’s the only thing I refuse to be humble about. It’s insane. It allows me a little bit of separation in that it’s Phoenix. My name is nowhere on that box, so it’s about the cool character that I got to play and I can be unabashedly proud of it. If there were a Monica Barbaro Barbie, I think I would just panic. My friends did a whole photo shoot in Central Park with me. I haven’t posted any of the pictures yet.

The great thing about the whole situation is that Paramount and Mattel really included me in the conversation. I did get to say, “Let’s do a little less makeup.” She started out with a totally different skin tone than me—she was a lot lighter than me—and had a different figure. They very quickly molded her to more of the way I look. Which I thought was really cool. She’s sitting on my shelf at home.

Instagram content

This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

Speaking of Barbies and makeup, are there any products you discovered on set that you can’t live without?

My makeup artist on Top Gun used the Chanel Vitalumiére Aqua foundation. It’s this incredible foundation that just evens out your skin tone without completely covering all your freckles and things. She used it on the guys in this movie too.

What did you buy with your first big acting check?

I am trying to locate it right now, which is freaking me out. I really wanted this Elsa Peretti Tiffany necklace, which is on a very, very thin gold chain with just a little diamond. My grandma used to have jewelry that my grandpa would buy her at different times, and she would remember exactly where they were or why he bought it, and I thought, “I’m gonna buy myself jewelry when I book work.” That was the first thing when I booked UnReal years ago and then I immediately panicked that I spent way too much money on this thing. I love it and I usually wear it all the time. I took it off, it got tangled, and now I have to find it but I’m not even at home so I can’t go looking for it right now.

What’s the greatest lesson you learned on the set of Top Gun ?

I think one of the greatest lessons I learned was I really am capable of so much more than I ever thought I was. The fun lesson I learned from the cast is to be more of an ask-for-forgiveness person, instead of being an ask-for-permission person. In this industry, there’s a lot of fun to be had. I think I was toeing the line and protecting the rules in a way that I don’t really need to.

What’s a rule the cast decided to break?

Taking a lot of behind-the-scenes photos. We were definitely told not to a thousand times, and then we were told to delete them because we weren’t supposed to have them. And I was like, I’m not going to delete them. Now we’re all just waiting for when can we post our behind-the-scenes stuff and not have to ask.

You can see Top Gun: Maverick in theaters now. Emily Tannenbaum is an entertainment editor, critic, and screenwriter living in Los Angeles . 

By Caitlin Brody

By Jenny Singer

By Jessica Radloff

By Ana Escalante

It's Top Gun Day, And Tom Cruise Thanked Fans With A Sweet Social Media Post To Celebrate The Movie's 38th Anniversary

I t was 38 years ago today – on May 16, 1986 – that Tony Scott's Top Gun first arrived in theaters, and it's a date that Tom Cruise remembers. After all, the movie was one of the early hits that established the actor as a true Hollywood A-lister, and it will forever be reflected upon as a key part of his big screen history. As one would expect, Cruise has fond memories associated with the film (as well as its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick ), and he celebrated its anniversary of the classic action film today with a sweet social media post.

Despite the fact that Top Gun is full of 1980s energy , it still feels crazy that the movie came out nearly four decades ago – and that's reflected in Tom Cruise's post to Twitter this afternoon. In addition to shock, he also expressed gratitude to the fanbase that has kept the love going for the film since it first hit theaters. The actor posted,

It’s incredible to look back on the thirty-eight years of Top Gun. To the fans who have been with us since the start, there wouldn’t be a Top Gun Day without you.

The Top Cruise post from Tom Cruise also included a collection of four behind-the-scenes photos from the making of the movie and Top Gun: Maverick (note: it's not terribly hard to figure out which one is from the sequel). Two of the shots feature Cruise with director Tony Scott (who passed away in 2012) , and having a chat with producer Jerry Bruckheimer:

Along with the message and photos, Tom Cruise also retweeted an official video from the official Top Gun Twitter account celebrating the blockbuster film's latest anniversary – with a special focus on the full legacy of the franchise and clips from both the original movie and the years-later follow-up. It even ends with a salute from Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell that feels like a salute to fans for decades of love:

Appreciating these photos and video is one thing, and you may now find yourself blasting "Highway To The Danger Zone" and "Take My Breath Away" through your speakers... but everyone knows that the only proper way to celebrate Top Gun Day is by actually watching Top Gun – and that's actually really easy to do nowadays. In addition to being on 4K UHD and Blu-ray , as well as available for digital rental and purchase, the beloved '80s classic is accessible for both Prime Video subscribers and Paramount+ subscribers (you can also stream Top Gun: Maverick from the latter service).

Will we someday get a Top Gun 3 that further advance's the franchise's legacy? Tom Cruise has expressed optimism , but time will tell. We here at CinemaBlend are certainly paying attention to all chatter about the project, so stay tuned for all of the latest news and updates about the potential project.

Today's Digital Daily

site categories

Parent item expand the sub menu, supreme for sale vf said to be shopping around, anglo american plans to sell de beers, china, india, dubai need more luxury stores, report says, wwd report card: the best of tom cruise.

The "Top Gun" star's fashion journey.

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on X
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pin It
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on LinkedIn
• Share this article on WhatsApp
• Share this article on Email
• Print this article
• Share this article on Talk

The aviator jacket, crewneck sweatshirt and jeans were an ’80s and ’90s uniform for young Hollywood. His long hair put a more rock ‘n’ roll spin on his heartthrob persona. The hiking boots are a granola move that’s hard to relate to.

Chiseled face, bangs, pinstripe suit, high-waisted pants and a bolo tie — what’s not to love? This Tom Cruise era is one of his best, and definitely was the making of a movie star.

Early days, baby-faced Cruise was still finding his fashion footing. The tank top with a blazer is giving off Miami vibes, yet the tight jeans bring it back to West Coast loving.

The silk printed shirt and breezy cropped jacket feel very much from the “Cocktail” era. The legging jeans and suede boots are like “Lord of the Dance”: amusing, but not ideal.

A big fan of a clip-on bowtie and black studs, the whole look today seems really retro and cute, but he could do so much better. Having Nicole Kidman by your side, though? Perfection.

He’s clearly in his “Mission Impossible” era with the shaved head and leather blazer — not one of his best looks. The black turtleneck paired under the blazer feels uncomfortable — just like how Penélope looks.

The buzz cut works much better here with this relaxed black suit. The pants are a little too flared but the silver tie and white shirt are flattering.

The “Risky Business” era with the vintage T-shirt, ’80s jeans and cropped brown leather biker is equally cool yet innocent. He should consider regrowing the bangs — they’re a vibe.

Sign up for WWD news straight to your inbox every day

Met Gala 2024: An Inside Look at The Carlyle Hotel As Guests Prepare For The Met Gala

WWD and Women's Wear Daily are part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Fairchild Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Fashion Expand fashion menu

• Fashion Trends
• Fashion Features
• Fashion Scoops
• Designer & Luxury
• Ready-To-Wear
• Accessories

Business Expand business menu

• Government & Trade
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Marketing & Promotion
• Human Resources
• Business Features
• Real Estate

Beauty Expand beauty menu

• Beauty Features

Men's Expand mens menu

• Mens Accessories
• Mens Clothing Furnishings
• Mens Designer Luxury
• Mens Lifestyle
• Mens Retail Business
• Mens Sportswear
• Mens Fashion

Runway Expand runway menu

• Men’s Fall 2024
• Pre-Fall 2024
• Spring Ready-to-Wear 2024
• Fall Couture 2023
• Resort 2024

Denim Expand denim menu

Sustainability expand sustainability menu.

• Environment
• Social Impact

Home/Design Expand home-design menu

• Interior Design
• Architecture

WWD Weekend Expand wwd-weekend menu

Events expand events menu, eye expand eye menu.

• Celebrity Real Estate

Shop Expand shop menu

More expand more menu.

• Fairchild Live
• RetailRx Community

Verify it's you

Please log in.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Entertainment

Tom Cruise Celebrates 38 Years Since the Original Top Gun : 'It's Incredible to Look Back'

'Top Gun' producer Jerry Bruckheimer told PEOPLE in March that Tom Cruise has been pitched an idea for a third 'Top Gun' movie that "he liked"

Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock

Tom Cruise is celebrating nearly four decades of taking to the skies.

On May 13, the actor-producer, 61, shared photos from the set of 1986's original Top Gun on Instagram in honor of the film's 38th anniversary.

The photos show behind-the-scenes pictures of him on set with the movie's director Tony Scott , who died in 2012 at 68, as well as a photo of him sitting with the film's cast in its air-hangar-turned-classroom set.

One throwback photo shows the actor smiling during a conversation with producer Jerry Bruckheimer . Another shows Cruise filming 2022's Top Gun: Maverick as he stares at the famous still of him and costar Val Kilmer shaking hands at the end of the original movie.

"It’s incredible to look back on the thirty-eight years of Top Gun ," he wrote in a caption. "To the fans who have been with us since the start, there wouldn’t be a Top Gun Day without you."

Cruise's original Top Gun movie was an immediate hit when it hit theaters May 16, 1986. The movie follows his character Pete "Maverick" Mitchell as he attends the U.S. Navy's Fighter Weapons School, better known as Top Gun. The movie costarred Anthony Edwards, Kelly McGillis and Kilmer, 64, as Maverick's chief rival and eventual ally Tom "Iceman" Kazansky."

Top Gun was the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office that year. It won one Academy Award , for Best Original Song, at the 59th Oscars in 1987, among four total nominations.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Decades later, Cruise regrouped with producer Bruckheimer, 80, to make a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick , which similarly captured audiences' imaginations as the highest-grossing movie of 2022 domestically and made $1.5 billion worldwide. The sequel sees Maverick return to Top Gun to train a new generation of pilots — including characters portrayed by Miles Teller and Glen Powell , among others — for new missions with the Navy.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett 

Many have speculated about the franchise's future given the smash success of Maverick . The Hollywood Reporter reported in January that a third Top Gun movie was in development . In March, producer Bruckheimer told PEOPLE he is working on putting a new entry together.

" We pitched Tom a story he liked . But he's a very in-demand actor and he's got a lot of movies lined up, so we have to wait and see," he said.

Related Articles

TYRE PARTNER

ASSOCIATE PARTNER

Top Gun Turns 38: 'Maverick' Tom Cruise Celebrates Special Day With BTS Pictures

Published By : Dishya Sharma

Trending Desk

Last Updated: May 14, 2024, 13:53 IST

Mumbai, India

Top Gun follows Tom Cruise's character attending Navy School. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

On Top Gun’s 38th anniversary, Tom Cruise shared nostalgic photos from the 1986 set, featuring his co-star Val Kilmer, director Tony Scott and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Thirty eight years ago today, Tony Scott’s action-packed movie Top Gun hit theatres and became a crucial piece of cinema history. Interestingly, this aerial action film was a major blockbuster that helped Tom Cruise become a Hollywood star. Cruise, who played the role of Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick, has fond memories related to the film and he celebrated its anniversary with a sweet social media post. Taking to his Instagram, the 61-year-old shared a series of nostalgic photos from the 1986 set, featuring his co-star Val Kilmer, the late director, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and a young Cruise in his 20s flying the fighter jets. He also included a picture from the filming of the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

The first photo features Cruise receiving direction from the late Tony Scott, who died in 2012. Another image shows Cruise with the film’s cast in the iconic air hangar turned classroom set. There’s also a snapshot of the superstar conversing with the producer and a picture shows his character looking at a frame of himself and Kilmer shaking hands at the end of the original movie while filming Top Gun: Maverick.

Additional photos show the crucial scenes from the film, featuring the iconic F-14 Tomcats and Northrop F-5 aircraft. The Hollywood star also thanked fans who have supported the film since its debut. Sharing the pictures, Tom Cruise wrote, “It’s incredible to look back on the thirty-eight years of Top Gun. To the fans who have been with us since the start, there wouldn’t be a Top Gun Day without you.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tom Cruise (@tomcruise)

Tom Cruise’s original movie was an immediate hit when it was released on May 16, 1986. The film follows Cruise’s character, Pete Mitchell, as he attends the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun. The movie also starred Anthony Edwards, Kelly McGillis and Val Kilmer. The action thriller was one of the highest grossing films of the year. It went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 59th Oscars in 1987 and was nominated in three other categories, including Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing.

Decades later, Cruise teamed up again with producer Jerry Bruckheimer to continue the legacy with Top Gun: Maverick, which also won over audiences. While Cruise and Kilmer reprised their characters, they were joined by Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Ed Harris and Lewis Pullman, among others.

Currently, Top Gun 3 is in development with Tom Cruise as lead, however, no release date has been confirmed yet.

• Tom Cruise Top Gun
• top gun: maverick

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Ticket Sales
• Promoted: What to Watch on Prime Video

trending now

Mega Millions winner sued by family for breaking promise to share...

Rory McIlroy divorce docs reveal prenup, relationship was...

Trump takes shot at Jewish Democrats -- calling out Alan...

Subtle signs that Rory McIlroy's marriage was 'amiss' before...

Rory McIlroy files for divorce from wife of seven years ahead of...

Howard University cancels graduation mid-ceremony after furious...

Wendy Williams' dream NYC penthouse sold by guardian for a loss...

'Anti-sex' beds have arrived at Paris Olympics — after horny...

Tom cruise on risking life for stunts: no one asked gene kelly, ‘why dance’.

• View Author Archive
• Follow on Twitter
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Tom Cruise has a message for people questioning why he risks his life to do his own stunts in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

“No one asked Gene Kelly, ‘Why do you dance?’” he said Tuesday during a masterclass at the Cannes Festival, Variety reported .

The infamous couch-hopper also alluded to an apparently longtime fascination with risk when he told the crowd that he would jump off the roof of his childhood house using a bed sheet as a parachute.

The bravado seemed to buoy him throughout his career.

“I always thought there’s something that I can do and I wanted to push the art form. I thought, ‘How can I immerse an audience into a movie with this kind of action? And how can I entertain them? What can I do?’”

The 59-year-old actor also reminded the crowd that he is a movie star, not a streaming star.

The Oscar-nominated actor said the option of releasing “Top Gun: Maverick” on Paramount+ during the coronavirus pandemic was “never going to happen.”

“I love my audience. I make movies for audiences … I make movies for the big screen,” Cruise said.

“I go to the cinema, and those people there that are serving the popcorn, that are making these theaters, and I was calling [Paramount] saying, ‘Please, I know what you’re going through. Just know we’re making “Mission: Impossible,” “Top Gun” is coming out,’ ” Cruise continued in a video posted to Twitter.

Tom Cruise on if he ever thought about releasing #TopGunMaverick on a streaming service. “That was never going to happen.” #Cannes2022 pic.twitter.com/DgLQUYe5Pe — Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) May 18, 2022

“When I make a movie, I’m trying to use all of the skill and everything that I know and all of the skill of all the people I work with, the beauty of cinema,” he added. “I mean, it’s an incredible experience because you just learn so much about humanity, about people, about work, about art.” 

Paramount announced the decision to push back the “Maverick” and seventh “Mission: Impossible” film release dates last September due to the rise of the COVID-19 Delta variant, Deadline reported .

The film company said the delay would help maximize box office numbers.

“Top Gun: Maverick” hits theaters on May 24. “Mission: Impossible 7” premieres July 14, 2023.

Share this article:

• India Today
• Business Today
• Reader’s Digest
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Cosmopolitan
• Aaj Tak Campus
• India Today Hindi

Tom Cruise celebrates 'Top Gun' day, shares 'incredible' BTS pics from set

Hollywood superstar tom cruise recently shared a bunch of behind-the-scene photos from 'top gun' set as he celebrated its 38th anniversary with fans..

Hollywood star Tom Cruise recently shared a few BTS photos from the sets of 'Top Gun' as the film turned 38. 

Tom Cruise shared a caption which read, "It’s incredible to look back on the thirty-eight years of Top Gun. To the fans who have been with us since the start, there wouldn’t be a Top Gun Day without you."

Here is Tom Cruise seen channelling his inner Pete Mitchell for an emotional scene in Top Gun. 

Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer clicked sharing a light moment on set. 

Cruise has been filming an untitled eighth Mission: Impossible film.