Top Gun' Cast: Where Are They Now?
It's been 23 years since Maverick and Goose flaunted their need ... their need for speed ... and you'd be surprised to know who's still flyin' high, and who's been skirting under the radar. Let us play your wingman as we reconnect you with the cast and crew (Kenny Loggins included!) of 1986's top-grossing hit 'Top Gun.' -- By Adam Duerson
(4) Paramount/ (3) Everett Collection/ Zuma
Tom Cruise
Played: Pete "Maverick" Mitchell
Then: Thomas Cruise Mapother IV had topped $40 million at the box office just once ('Risky Business') when he landed this role, which Sean Penn, Scott Baio and Tom Hanks (imagine that ... ) all declined. Perhaps a taller obstacle: his diminutive 5'7" stature. In scenes with Kelly McGillis (5'10"), Cruise often wore lifts.
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Paramount / Everett Collection
Tom Cruise
Now: Cruise has since claimed as many Oscar noms as he has Hollywood-actress wives (three), and he's endured countless peaks (see his cameo in 'Tropic Thunder') and valleys (remember Oprah's couch, anyone?). In July, the world's most famous Scientology advocate stars in 'Knight & Day' with Cameron Diaz.
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Alberto E. Rodriguez, Getty Images
Kelly McGillis
Played: Charlie Blackwood
Then: There's a long list of leading ladies for whom Maverick could have lost that loving feeling -- Tatum O'Neal, Jodie Foster, Sarah Jessica Parker, Linda Hamilton and Brooke Shields all said no -- but McGillis was the girl. She was such a hit that test audiences demanded the now famous love scene, and Scott obliged.
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Paramount / Everett Collection
Kelly McGillis
Now: Her career climaxed two years later with the critically acclaimed 'Accused,' and then trickled towards a five-year hibernation to start the new millennium. In 2007, McGillis joined Showtime's 'L Word,' setting the stage for her announcement two years later that she was gay. Said McGillis: "Life is a freaking journey."
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Jordan Strauss, WireImage
Val Kilmer
Played: Tom "Iceman" Kazansky
Then: Eat your heart out, William Zabka. Kilmer took the classic '80s d***head role to new extremes as Maverick's nemesis, who oozed sarcasm and sneered like no other. (His "bulls---" snort in the classroom was ad-libbed.) And all of that despite not wanting the role. Kilmer says he was strong-armed into it by Paramount.
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Paramount / ZUMA Press
Val Kilmer
Now: Kilmer would hook up with Scott twice more, most memorably as Elvis in 'True Romance' (but never with Cruise, with whom he allegedly tussled off screen). He spoofed his character as a civilian airline pilot in 2000 on 'SNL,' setting the stage for his next role, as the villain in 'SNL''s 'MacGruber' movie, coming in April.
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Todd Williamson, Getty Images
Anthony Edwards
Played: Nick "Goose" Bradshaw
Then: Quite literally the guy behind the guy, Goose was the classic comic-relief sidekick, from his goofy cop-stache to his pedestrian frame -- and all of it so out of place in an oiled-up beach volleyball scene. Shockingly, Edwards was the only cast member who didn't throw up on his pre-production flight in an F-14 Tomcat.
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Paramount / Everett Collection
Anthony Edwards
Now: Edwards went big time in 1994 as 'ER''s Dr. Green -- as in cash-money green; he made $35 million for one three-season period. (Of note: two other 'Top Gun' alums, Michael Ironside and Rick Rossovich, also starred on the show.) He recently ran the New York City Marathon to raise funds for his Kenyan nonprofit organization.
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Andrew H. Walker, Getty Images
Tom Skerritt
Played: Mike "Viper" Metcalf
Then: This guy'd been around by the time 'Top Gun' took off -- from early TV roles on 'Gunsmoke' and '12 O'Clock High' to films like 'Alien,' to an ad campaign for Guess? Jeans -- making him a comfy pick as Maverick's probably-too-tolerant commanding officer. Not to mention that slick 'stache, which lent him some authority.
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Paramount / Everett Collection
Reader Comments (25)
redneck at 1:30PM on Nov 4th 2009
TOP GUN!!! THE MOVIE OF ALL MOVIES!!! THE GOD ALL OF EVERYTHING ON THE BIG SCREEN THAT WILL NEVER BE DUPLICATED IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY AGAIN!!! ALSO...NO OTHER MOVIE SOUNDS BETTER ON A HIGH END SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM ON A BIG SCREEN TV. IF KELLY MCGILLIS WASNT A LESBIAN & DIDNT AGE HORRIBLY...ID STILL DREAM ABOUT MARRYING HER. TOM CRUISE WAS DEF. THE BEST ACTOR OF THE '80S. TOP GUN...COCKTAIL...RAINMAN...THE FIRM & DAYS OF THUNDER('90S)...RISKY BUSINESS...THE OUTSIDERS...THE COLOR OF MONEY...ALL THE RIGHT MOVES...& BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. HIS BEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME.
nancy at 7:46PM on Nov 5th 2009
These comments about Kelly McGillis aging horribly and all the other ugly comments made on the subject is really offensive to me and, and I'm sure many others. If you can't respect people as they age whether the are celebrites or not, I would like to check you out when you reach her age. I assume you are far from that milestone, but sometimes these comments can come back at you
zach at 8:36AM on Nov 8th 2009
movie of all movies...are you kidding me!!! i think you need to see a few more movies.
SGUNKNOWN at 9:11AM on Nov 8th 2009
REDNECK DID YOU HAVE YOUR BALLS REMOVED OR SOMTHING,OR ARE YOU REALLY TOM CRUISE???THERE ARE THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE TOM CRUISE; LAME,LAME,LAME .HE IS A PATHETIC ACTOR AT BEST WHO SEEMS TO GET GOOD PARTS,LORD KNOWS ITS NOT BECAUSE OF HIS ACTING SKILLS .BY THE WAY TOM OR REDNECK I REALLY LOVED YOUR ACCENT IN YOUR NAZI WANNABE MOVIE.....NOT.IM NOT A BIG FAN OF MUTANT GIRL BROOKE SHIELDS EITHER BUT WHEN HE DISSED HER FOR HER POST PARTUM DEPRESSION DRUG USE I BELEAVE HE LOST MOST OF ANY FEMALE FAN BASE HE EVER HAD.TOM OR REDNECK GET A REAL JOB AND WALK AWAY FROM THAT SCIENTOLOGY CULT WHILE YOU CAN STILL SALVAGE YOUR SELF RESPECT.
raphaelangel634 at 10:27AM on Nov 8th 2009
Hey, um, Nancy? If the comments offend you so much why do you bother reading them?
No, no, wait. . .that would be too simple and easy, and you wouldn't have the chance to act like you're something special (which you're not) and try to control what people say (which you can't).
Your life must really suck if the high point in your day is complaining in an online forum.
Jackie E. at 10:37AM on Nov 8th 2009
Top Gun is the BEST homoerotic movie ever made!!! Don't believe me? Watch the volleyball scene again.
Tango Brown at 1:11PM on Nov 8th 2009
Definitely the gayest movie ever. A riot of double entendre. Nothing but guys saying suggestive things to each other and subjegating thier homoerotic energies into sports and warfare. Compulsively watchable, unintentionally hysterical.
ChuckMamuck at 11:53AM on Nov 22nd 2009
topgun is total gay porn hollywood style. cruise crying over goose dying, all insecure and lost bent over the shower room counter in his big white Yfronts and the big boss man stands behind him telling him it will be alright, i'll look after ya son, and takes him under his ass loving wing. its just constant men flirting with men all the way thru the film and the part that totally shows the gayness of the film is the volleyball scene, slapping each others bums, flexing pecs and howling like horny animal mating calls, look at me boys. the cringeworthy slowmotions of sweaty men diving to return the ball and the camera still rolls to show sand covered bodies. cruise enjoys it so much he's late to meet a well fit girl, huh! theres a deleted scene when cruise leaves the match and his boyfriends say mav where ya going, im going to meet a girl, eeew a girl,you weirdo, nah boys, ive never had 1 before, i just want to see what its like.and goose is a bit homophobic so if i pretend to like girls then he'll be more comfortable in my cockpit when im firing my missile up the other boys smoking asses. your the man mav, just close ya eyes and think of us boys to make it easier, and wash that girl juice off immediately, ive heard its toxic and burns ya dick off. sounds like your favourite film redneck, is there something ya not telling us?
jay at 5:10PM on Nov 22nd 2009
Agree, this guy hasn't got hundreds of millions in the bank because he is not a top actor, not many actors have been as successful as him and think he will make a few more top films in the future.
Hi2Blade at 5:23PM on Nov 22nd 2009
Wake up and smell the coffee. Cruise is probably the most typecast actor ever. He plays every role the same way, gets a girl and wins every time. Talk about boring! As for Top Gun being a brilliant film you totally lost me with that one!
AndyC at 5:09PM on Nov 4th 2009
Hello!
Marie at 6:30AM on Nov 8th 2009
You guys forgot "Wolfman" played by Barry Tubb and "Hollywood" played by Whip Hubley.
Debbie at 12:58AM on Jan 15th 2010
Marie,
I said the same thing. This movie would be seriously lacking without Wolfman and Hollywood.
Check out the scene in the O Club when the boys are singing to Charlie. Wolfman is center stage between Mav and Goose, and he upstages them both. The studio blew it by not making a poster of those two to market when the movie was released. I'm their age. Good eyes.
Debbie
John F.C. Taylor at 7:59AM on Nov 8th 2009
McGillis had aged horribly. I took a long time to recognose her in that sci-fi movie she did. Maybe she felt she had to look butch after announcing that she was a lesbian. I'm glad to see that she has allowed herself to change back to a fairly attractive and more mature woman. As for her sexual preferences, who cares? She is still a great actress who has been underused in the industry.
LOLA at 8:31AM on Nov 8th 2009
I sow all the pictures and the only person who look amazing to me is Meg Ryan.
fran at 8:52AM on Nov 8th 2009
everybody gets old. kelly is a great actress and
will never be forgotten.
Red1 at 12:53AM on Nov 9th 2009
Was being the operative word. I miss the Tom Cruise that I grew up with. A fairly normal human being. Now he's turned into some kind of unhuman freakshow. Like the friend who walks into a party and everybody covers their eyes fearing what ignorant act will come flailing forth this time.
Gene at 9:35AM on Nov 8th 2009
Attention: If you look at frame 20, James Tolkan who played "Stinger" Jordan. His name tag on his shirt is misspelled (Jardan).
Shawn at 11:15AM on Nov 8th 2009
Wow...not a word about the true star of this movie, the F-14 Tomcat, since retired from the Navy inventory. One of the last pure fighters ever designed and a battle tested hero of the cold war. (Not to mention the U.S. Navy pilots who did all of the flight scenes.)
HeeHee at 12:04PM on Nov 8th 2009
Val Kilmer got FAT!