tom cruise age top gun

Top Gun (1986) cast ages: How old was the cast then (and now)?

By aysha ashley househ | aug 10, 2023.

We’re all so obsessed with 1986 film Top Gun starring Tom Cruise, and it was so amazing to get a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick , in 2022! When the production was first released to audiences in the ’80s, it was to mixed reviews. Can you believe it? However as the weeks went by, the movie became the the highest-grossing domestic film of 1986. And the second film in the franchise has received massive success, currently streaming on Paramount+ .

The action drama takes us to the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School and introduces us to fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise). The new student’s cocky attitude causes tension between him and the other pilots. But this guy has two goals – become the top fighter pilot and get the attention of his flight instructor Charlotte (Kelly McGillis).

Ever wondered how old the actors were at the time? We’ve shared the cast’s ages at the time of the movie’s release in May 1986, as well as how old they are now as of August 2023.

How old was Tom Cruise in Top Gun?

The leading man who played LT Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was only 22 years old when the film began shooting, and 23 when it was released. He is the youngest amongst his co-stars. The iconic actor’s birthday is July 3, 1962 which means he is currently 61 years old.

How old was Kelly McGillis in Top Gun?

The actress was two months away from her twenty-ninth birthday when the production came out, taking on the role of Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood. Her birthday is only a few days after her co-star’s – July 9, 1957. She is currently 66 years old. McGillis didn’t reprise her role in the sequel but has continued to act in films throughout the years.

How old was Val Kilmer in Top Gun?

The actor who played LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, aka Maverick’s rival at the school, was 26 years old when the movie premiered. He is a winter baby, having been born Dec. 31, 1959. Kilmer is currently 63. The star reprised his role in the sequel and his most recent movie is a documentary about his life and career titled Val which is streaming on Prime Video.

How old was Anthony Edwards in Top Gun?

The LTJG Nick “Goose” Bradshaw actor was 23 years old, just two months away from turning 24 when the production debuted on the big screens. He was born July 19, 1962 and is currently 61 years old. Following his role in Top Gun , you may recognize Edwards from television shows like ER , Law & Order True Crime , and WeCrashed .

How old was Meg Ryan in Top Gun?

Ryan played Edwards’ onscreen wife, Carole Bradshaw. The actress was 24 years old during the action drama. She is currently 61 years old and her birthday is Nov. 19. The celebrity became one of the most successful actresses in the ’90s and 2000s, mostly known for romantic comedies like Sleepless in Seattle , When Harry Met Sally…. , You’ve Got Mail.

How old was Tom Skerritt in Top Gun?

Skerritt, aka CDR Mike “Viper” Metcalf in the film, was 53 years old when it was released to audiences. He is currently 89, soon celebrating his 90th birthday on Aug. 25. Skerritt is the oldest of his co-stars. The talent has been acting since 1962 with his debut film War Hunt .

How old was Michael Ironside in Top Gun?

The LCDR Rick “Jester” Heatherly actor was 35 years old when the Tom Cruise-led movie was released. Ironside is currently 73 years old and was born on Feb. 12, 1950. He has continued to act, many of his jobs in voiceover roles including projects like Superman: The Animated Series ,  Wolverine and the X-Men , and  Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising .

How old was Tim Robbins in Top Gun?

Radar intercept officer, LTJG Sam “Merlin” Wells, was played by Robbins. He was 28 years old at the time of movie, and is currently 64. Oct. 16 is when the actor celebrates his birthday. He’s known for roles such as Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption , Griffin Mill in The Playe r, and Senator Robert Hammond in Green Lantern .

Top Gun and its sequel Top Gun: Maverick are both currently streaming on Paramount+ .

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How old was Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick?’

Tom Cruise is no stranger to box-office success, but 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick takes the cake in terms of the actor’s biggest blockbuster, which is quite the accomplishment considering the A-lister filmed the original Top Gun a full 36 years earlier.

Ever the action movie star, Cruise is known for not relying on CGI to do carry out his stunt work , even if that sometimes leads to injury . While there were trained Navy pilots actually piloting the jets in Maverick , Cruise was still flying around in an F-18 Super Hornet, which is impressive to say the least, especially considering the huge amount of time that had passed since the first one. Naturally, that begs the question of just how old Cruise was when he was climbing inside the cockpit. Both times.

Tom Cruise’s age in Top Gun

The first Top Gun was directed by Tony Scott and released in 1986. Tom Cruise was a young man at this point in his life, as he was born in 1962, making him only 24 years old when the movie was released.

The film followed Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a hotshot United States Naval Aviator — played by Cruise — as he is sent to attend TOPGUN, the Naval Fighter Weapons School. Alongside him is Lieutenant Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, who dies halfway through the film, as well as his rival, Lieutenant Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, played by Val Kilmer. 

The fresh-faced Cruise had already been knocking around Hollywood since 1981, in such films as Risky Business and Legend , but it was Top Gun that manifested him as a bonafide action hero before his 25th birthday.

Tom Cruise’s age in Top Gun: Maverick

Finally, almost half of his lifetime later, Cruise returned to one of his most iconic roles in Top Gun: Maverick . Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the legacy sequel continues the story of the titular character, who is now a captain, as he is picked to instruct a new team of pilots for a dangerous mission. Among these expert pilots is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Goose, Maverick’s late best friend.

Cruise’s age in Maverick is interesting in that he was technically 57 years old when the movie finished filming in 2019, but due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he found himself at the ripe age of 59 when it was finally premiered in theaters in May 2022.

Those delays didn’t hurt the film any, however, Maverick generated an eye-watering $1.4 billion at the box office and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It was repeatedly praised for single-handedly saving movie theaters while Cruise was deemed Hollywood’s guardian angel. Had it not been for that December’s Avatar: The Way of Water , he also would’ve had the honor of being the biggest star in the biggest film of the year. If you’re someone who believes Avatar ‘s success comes from its immersive CGI alone (and not its story), you might say he still does.

It just goes to show, that no matter his age, Cruise still has his “need for speed,” which is something that all $1.4 billion dollars’ worth of audience members can appreciate. To see him in action, you can stream both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount Plus.

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As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taugh... Read all As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom. As students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.

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• 853 User reviews
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• 50 Metascore
• 11 wins & 9 nominations total

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Who Was Almost Cast in 'Top Gun'?

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• Trivia Stunt pilot Art Scholl was killed during the production of the movie, aged 54. He died when his Pitts S-2 camera plane failed to recover from a flat spin and plunged into the Pacific Ocean. Scholl's last words over the radio were "I have a problem - I have a real problem." The exact cause of the crash was never determined, and neither the aircraft nor Scholl's body were ever recovered. The film is dedicated to him.
• Goofs The term "bogey" is misused throughout the movie. A bogey is an unidentified aircraft. Once identified, it is referred to as a "friendly" (for friendly aircraft), "bandit" (for non-friendly aircraft) or "hostile" (for non-friendly aircraft that may be fired at). In USN terminology, a non-friendly surface radar contact is a "skunk".

Iceman : You! You are still dangerous. But you can be my wingman any time.

Maverick : Bullshit! You can be mine.

• Crazy credits The opening credits sequence features a history of the Top Gun program before the title of the film appears on screen, with the remainder of the opening credits devoted to footage of planes being launched from and landing on an aircraft carrier.
• Alternate versions The version of the film shown on the Paramount Network has nearly all of the profane language intact (basically everything but the word "shit"). However, this version also randomly cuts out several scenes and parts of scenes, presumably to fit in the network time slot allotted. Scenes missing altogether include (but are certainly not limited to) Maverick and Goose conversing in their housing regarding whether or not they'll graduate, and Jester and Viper conversing, with Viper revealing hew knew Maverick's "old man." The latter is especially surprising considering this plot point plays a major role in a later scene.
• Connections Edited into MacGyver: GX-1 (1987)
• Soundtracks Danger Zone Written by Giorgio Moroder & Tom Whitlock Performed by Kenny Loggins Produced by Giorgio Moroder Kenny Loggins courtesy of CBS Records

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• How long is Top Gun? Powered by Alexa
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• May 16, 1986 (United States)
• United States
• 102 Pacific Street, Oceanside, California, USA (Charlie's house)
• Paramount Pictures
• Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films
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• $15,000,000 (estimated)
• $180,258,178
• May 18, 1986
• $357,288,178

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 49 minutes
• Dolby Stereo
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Digital EX
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How Old Was the Top Gun 1986 Cast? Ages Revealed

By: Author Jessica Suess

Posted on Last updated: September 17, 2023

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In 1986, Top Gun soared into cinemas and quickly became an iconic piece of pop culture, establishing itself as a quintessential action film of its time.

With a stellar cast led by Tom Cruise as the daring pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the film captured the imaginations of audiences around the world, making aviator sunglasses and bomber jackets must-have items of the era.

But just how old were Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, and the rest of this unforgettable cast when they stepped into their larger-than-life roles?

In this guide, we take a nostalgic flight back in time to explore the ages of the Top Gun (1986) cast members during the making of this cinematic classic.

How Old Was Tom Cruise in Top Gun?

Born on July 3, 1962, Tom Cruise was just 23 years old when he soared into stardom as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the fearless Navy fighter pilot in Top Gun .

Before this breakout role, Cruise had already impressed critics with performances in Risky Business and All the Right Moves . Top Gun , however, was the turning point that transformed Cruise from an emerging actor to an international superstar.

As Maverick, Cruise’s daring and fiercely competitive on-screen persona showcased a raw and impassioned performance that seemed to echo his own relentless drive and ambition. This role set the stage for a prolific and high-profile career, filled with franchises like Mission: Impossible and dramatic turns in films like A Few Good Men .

How Old Was Kelly McGillis in Top Gun?

Kelly McGillis , born on July 9, 1957, was 29 years old when she took on the role of astrophysicist and Top Gun instructor Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood.

In Top Gun , her character, Charlie, was not just a love interest, but a strong, intelligent professional respected by her peers — a significant role at a time when such characters were less common in Hollywood. Her compelling portrayal of a woman succeeding in a male-dominated environment was groundbreaking.

How Old Was Val Kilmer in Top Gun?

Born on December 31, 1959, Val Kilmer was 26 when he portrayed Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, Maverick’s cool and calculated rival.

His portrayal of Iceman as methodical and precise created a compelling counterbalance to Maverick’s impulsiveness. His confident portrayal of Iceman solidified his status as a versatile actor, opening the door for subsequent roles in films like The Doors and Batman Forever .

How Old Was Anthony Edward in Top Gun?

Born on July 19, 1962, Anthony Edwards was 24 years old when he portrayed Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, the charismatic and devoted best friend to Maverick in Top Gun .

Before Top Gun , Edwards had a diverse range of roles but the character of Goose — with its charm and tragic fate — marked a major turning point. His performance provided the emotional core of the movie, and it highlighted his range and depth as an actor, paving the way for his iconic role as Dr. Mark Greene on ER .

How Old Was Tom Skerritt in Top Gun?

Born on August 25, 1933, seasoned actor Tom Skerritt was 53 when he took on the role of Mike “Viper” Metcalf, the authoritative and experienced flight instructor in Top Gun .

With significant roles in Alien and M A S H* under his belt, Skerritt brought a paternal, grounding presence to Top Gun . His portrayal of Viper was less of a mentor and more of a North Star for the younger pilots, which showcased Skerritt’s capacity to bring depth to any role.

How Old Was Meg Ryan in Top Gun?

Born on November 19, 1961, Meg Ryan was 24 when she took on the role of Carole Bradshaw in Top Gun , the vivacious and supportive wife of Goose.

Though her role in Top Gun was relatively small, it showcased Ryan’s natural charisma and screen presence, which she later parlayed into becoming one of America’s favorite romantic comedy leads.

How Old Was Michael Ironside in Top Gun?

Michael Ironside was 36 years old when he played the seasoned pilot and flight instructor Rick “Jester” Heatherly in Top Gun .

Prior to this role, he had already established himself as a compelling character actor, known for intense and often villainous roles in movies such as Scanners and Total Recall . Ironside’s portrayal of Jester, as a tough but fair mentor, solidified his ability to bring complexity and humanity to a wide range of characters.

How Old Was Tim Robbins in Top Gun?

At 28, Tim Robbins portrayed Sam “Merlin” Wells in Top Gun . Before this supporting role, Robbins was mainly known for his stage work.

While Top Gun wasn’t his breakout role, it offered Robbins an opportunity to be part of a major blockbuster, showcasing his early potential. His career would soon catapult with standout performances in The Shawshank Redemption and Mystic River , earning him widespread acclaim.

Top Gun 1986 Cast Ages Table

Below is a table of all the main actors and director of Top Gun (1986), including their ages in the movie and now.

How Old Was Tom Cruise In ‘Top Gun’?

It’s been over 30 years since Top Gun first debuted. It’s been a long wait for the sequel, but the wait is over. Cruise, starring as Maverick will grace the screens again.

In 1986, Tom Cruise, at the age of 23 played Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a dare-devil naval aviator. This Oscar-winning film, directed by Tony Scott skyrocketed Tom Cruise’s career. The young actor was on his way to superstardom and wide-spread recognition.

Years later and Cruise, known for his action-adventure films, is one of the richest actors in the world , but has he still got what it takes to bring the dare-devil charm of Maverick?

Tom Cruise’s Dedication to Stunts

Cruise is renowned for taking on bold stunts and delivering a real, action-packed experience for viewers. 

In a 2018 interview, Cruise said: ‘when I go to make a film. I’m employing every part of me, every skill as a filmmaker – the physicality, the artistry…’

How Tall Is Tom Cruise? Exact Height Revealed

What is tom cruise’s daily routine, where does tom cruise live.

Cruise has already proved his commitment to creating an action-packed film. He does indeed employ every part of him. During the filming of Mission Impossible – Fall Out , he famously broke his ankle on set and finished the scene. 

The broken ankle was described by Simon Pegg as a ‘relief’, which you might understand if you watch the video below. 

Stunt coordinator, Wade Eastwood, and aerial coordinator, Marc Wolff remember losing track of Cruise when he was in the middle of yet another extreme stunt on the same film. 

Cruise is not the young man of 23 anymore, which leaves many asking: how does he do it?

How Does Tom Cruise Stay in Shape?

Well, Tom Cruise is no stranger to sports. He’s been quoted saying that he enjoys “Sea-kayaking, caving, fencing, treadmill, weights, rock-climbing, [and] hiking”.

He also travels with a gym, which means that he can workout on the go.

As well as his disciplined exercise habits, when Cruise is training he eats healthily and avoids sugars. 

He admits to having a sweet-tooth but manages this with a simple trick… 

To get through his sugarless diet, Cruise sends cakes to his co-stars and waits for them to call, so he can hear their feedback.

With his dedication to keeping in shape and with so many different sports under his belt, it’s not surprising to hear that, true to his reputation, Cruise will be performing his own stunts in Top Gun 2.

Tom Cruise and Top Gun Stunts

Despite being over 50, Cruise is still performing stunts so extreme that Top Gun: Maverick director had to get permission from the navy for stunts to go ahead.

Cruise says: ‘It is aggressive, you can’t act that – the distortion in the face. They’re pulling 7.5-8Gs – 16,000 pounds of force…it is heavy duty.’

Not only is this stunt extreme and impressive, it brings with it some incredible viewing.

In order to create this scene, they had the world’s greatest fighter pilots working with them and a new camera system that allows 6 IMAX quality cameras in the cockpit with the actors.

This stunt brings the audience into the cockpit for a very close and very real viewing experience.

Could the need for speed in this 2020 film crush the original Top Gun? 

Top Gun: Maverick – Release Date 

Finally, fans will find out for themselves.

For the hard-core Top Gun fan, the release date could not come sooner. 

Those who follow Cruise and watch his interviews will know that the release of this film was confirmed by Cruise in a 2017 interview. Cruise was asked if the rumors were true on the Australian morning show, Sunrise . He confirmed that there would be a second film and that he would ‘probably’ start filing within the year.

It was already a long wait for fans, but the film was later delayed thanks to coronavirus , which caused the release date to be extended. 

Top Gun: Maverick is set to grace theatres on 23rd December 2020 .

Cruise took to Instagram to make the announcement. 

View this post on Instagram I know many of you have waited 34 years. Unfortunately, it will be a little longer. Top Gun: Maverick will fly this December. Stay safe, everyone. A post shared by Tom Cruise (@tomcruise) on Apr 2, 2020 at 12:29pm PDT

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Tom cruise in ‘top gun: maverick’: film review.

The ace fighter pilot returns 36 years after first feeling the need for speed in Joseph Kosinski’s sequel, also starring Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

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As inescapable a pop-cultural totem as 1986’s Top Gun became, Tony Scott’s testosterone-powered blockbuster has all the narrative complexity of a music video crossed with a military recruitment reel. It’s hard to think of many more emblematic products of the rah-rah patriotism of the Reagan years, with its vigorous salute to American exceptionalism and triumph over a Cold War enemy left purposely vague — hey, don’t want to shut out a lucrative foreign market.

All that has only continued to toxify in the post-Trump age, with patriotism curdling into white supremacy. So depending on where you sit on the political spectrum, your enjoyment of Top Gun: Maverick might depend on how much you’re willing to shut out the real world and surrender to movie-star magic.

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Cannes: baloji, emmanuelle béart to lead golden camera jury, donna langley to receive kering's women in motion award, top gun: maverick.

Venue : Cannes Film Festival (Out of Competition) Release date : Friday, May 27 Cast : Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis Director : Joseph Kosinski Screenwriters : Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie

Which this superior sequel — directed with virtuoso technical skill, propulsive pacing and edge-of-your-seat flying sequences by Joseph Kosinski — has in abundance. Every frame of Tom Cruise ’s Maverick is here to remind you, soaking up the awestruck admiration of the young hot shots ready to dismiss him as a fossil and the initially begrudging respect of the military brass who try and fail to pull the cocky individualist into line. “He’s the fastest man alive,” one of the slack-jawed hero worshippers in the control room says early on. And that’s even before he does his signature robotic “Cruise Run.”

“It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot,” we hear more than once. And Cruise leaves no question that he’s the pilot, despite hiring a pro craft team and a solid ensemble cast who were put through extensive flight training. Even the relic F-14 Tomcat, Maverick’s tactical fighter plane of choice in the first movie, gets fired up for a glory lap, a salute to aged movie stars and old technology in one. Cruise’s character is somehow positioned by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie’s screenplay as simultaneously a rule-breaking rebel and a selfless saint. That makes this a work of breathtaking egomania outdone only by the fawning tone of Paramount’s press notes.

Starting when Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” accompanies footage of new-generation F-18 hornets slicing through the clouds and swooping down onto an aircraft carrier amid a sea of high-fives, fist-pumps and thumbs-up, the sequel follows the original beat for beat, to a degree that’s almost comical. And yet, as formulaic as it is, there’s no denying that it delivers in terms of both nostalgia and reinvention. Mainstream audiences will be happily airborne, especially the countless dads who loved Top Gun and will eagerly want to share this fresh shot of adrenaline with their sons.

Pete “Maverick” Mitchell lives alone in a Mojave Desert hangar with a photo shrine on the wall to his former radar intercept officer and best buddy Goose, who died during a training accident in the first film. (Anthony Edwards and Meg Ryan are seen in a helpful recap framed as Pete’s tortured memories.)

Maverick zooms into the Naval base on his Kawasaki each day and continues to get his kicks as a daredevil test pilot, resisting the advancement in rank from captain that would have grounded him by now. But when his aerial showboating pisses off Admiral Cain (Ed Harris), who’s pushing to transition to drone aircrafts and make stick jockeys obsolete, Maverick gets his wings clipped.

Despite having lasted just two months as an instructor almost 30 years ago, he’s reassigned to the elite Fighter Weapons School, aka Top Gun Academy, in San Diego, which was established in 1969 to train the top 1 percent of Naval aviators. Neither Cain nor the academy’s senior officer, call sign “Cyclone” ( Jon Hamm ), wanted him for the job. But Maverick’s former rival and eventual wingman Iceman (Val Kilmer), who went on to become an admiral and command the U.S. Pacific Fleet, convinced them he was the only man who could prepare pilots for a top-secret mission.

A uranium enrichment plant has been detected on enemy soil — once again, exactly which enemy is unclear — and two pairs of F-18s need to sneak in, bomb the bejesus out of it and then get out fast, overcoming a near-impossible quick climb over rocky peaks and then surviving the inevitable blast of enemy missiles and aerial dogfights.

The candidates for that mission are “the best of the best,” former star graduates who are pretty much a repeat of the 1986 bunch aside from being more culturally diverse. There’s even — gasp! — a woman, Phoenix (Monica Barbaro). The two that matter most, though, are swaggering blowhard Hangman (Glen Powell) and Goose’s son Rooster ( Miles Teller ), still carrying around the ghost of his father and hostile to Maverick for stalling his career by taking his name off the Naval Academy list.

The Hangman-Rooster dynamic more or less mirrors the Iceman-Maverick friction from Top Gun , just as the incongruously homoerotic shirtless volleyball scene is echoed here with a rowdy team-building football game on the beach.

The only notable place where the screenwriters don’t genuflect to the original model is with Kelly McGillis’ astrophysicist and civilian Top Gun instructor Charlie, who declined a plum Washington job to stick with her man but doesn’t even rate a mention here. Instead, Maverick sparks up an old romance with Penny ( Jennifer Connelly ), a single mom with fabulous highlights. She runs a local bar — its name, The Hard Deck, doubles as a tactical plot point — which apparently puts her in an income bracket to own a sleek sailboat and drive a Porsche. (Producer Jerry Bruckheimer never met a power vehicle he didn’t love.)

Maverick’s task during training is to test the limits of the super-competitive candidates, whittling them down from 12 to six and choosing a team leader. “It’s not what I am. It’s who I am,” he says of his aviator vocation during a rare moment of self-doubt. “How do I teach that?” Anyone failing to guess who’ll land the team leader spot and who’ll be their wingman isn’t paying attention.

The simmering conflict between Maverick and Rooster — who can’t see past his resentment to perceive the protective responsibility his dad’s friend feels toward him — provides an emotional core even if the role makes scant demands on Teller’s range. But that’s true also of Connelly, Hamm and everyone else in the cast; all of them get the job done while remaining satellites that merely orbit around Cruise’s glittering Planet Alpha, eventually having to acknowledge that Maverick’s a helluva guy no matter what stunts he pulls.

The film’s most moving element comes during the brief screen time of Kilmer’s Iceman, whose health issues reflect those suffered by the actor in real life, generating resonant pathos. There’s reciprocal warmth, even love, in a scene between Iceman and Maverick that acknowledges the characters’ hard-won bond as well as the rivalry that preceded it, with gentle humor.

Kosinski (who directed Cruise in Oblivion ), the writers and editor Eddie Hamilton keep a close eye on the balance between interpersonal drama and flight maneuvers; scenes intercut between field practice and classroom discussions during which Maverick points out fatal errors on a computer simulator are particularly sharp. This is all nuts-and-bolts buildup, however, to the mission itself, in which hair-raising action, seemingly insurmountable setbacks and miraculous saves keep the tension pumped.

This is definitely a film that benefits from the Imax experience and the big-ass soundscape that comes with it. The muscular score by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer also pulls its weight, with Gaga’s song, “Hold My Hand,” getting prime romantic placement. Musical choices elsewhere tend to lean into a retro vibe — Bowie, T. Rex, Foghat, The Who — while Teller gets to hammer the piano keys and lead a Jerry Lee Lewis sing-along that pays direct homage to his screen dad.

The most memorable part of Top Gun: Maverick — and the scenes that will make new generations swell with pride and adulation for good old American heroism — are the dogfights and tactical maneuvers of the pilots. Just as they should be. The best thing this movie does is boost visceral analog action over the usual numbing bombardment of CG fakery, a choice fortified by having the actors in the airborne cockpits during shooting.

Cinematographer Claudio Miranda’s work benefits from the technological advances of the past three decades, with camera rigs allowing for you-are-there verisimilitude. Cruise’s insistence on doing his own flying is undeniably impressive, even if the headgear’s breathing apparatus gets in the way of his trademark clenched-jaw intensity. No one is going to dispute that he works hard in this movie, justifying the labor of love. But no one is going to come out of it concerned for his self-esteem, either.

Full credits

Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Out of Competition) Distribution: Paramount Production companies: Skydance, Jerry Bruckheimer Films Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Charles Parnell, Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer Director: Joseph Kosinski Screenwriters: Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie Story: Peter Craig, Justin Marks, based on characters created by Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr. Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison Executive producers: Tommy Harper, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson Director of photography: Claudio Miranda Production designer: Jeremy Hindle Costume designer: Marlene Stewart Music: Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer Editor: Eddie Hamilton Visual effects supervisor: Ryan Tudhope Aerial coordinator: Kevin LaRosa II Casting: Denise Chamian

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How old was tom cruise in top gun: A Journey Through Time

In the world of action-packed cinema, few films have left as lasting an impact as “Top Gun.” At the heart of this iconic film’s success is Tom Cruise, whose portrayal of the daring pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell catapulted him to superstardom. Released in 1986, “Top Gun” not only showcased Cruise’s captivating acting skills but also became a defining moment in his career. As we explore the journey of Tom Cruise in the “Top Gun” series, we dive into the timeless allure of his character and the legacy that continues with “Top Gun Maverick.”

Tom Cruise’s Age in the Original Top Gun (1986)

In 1986, “Top Gun” took to the skies and introduced the world to a fresh-faced Tom Cruise, then just 24 years old. His portrayal of the brash and talented Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell captured the essence of youthful daring and determination. At this age, Cruise perfectly embodied the role of a fearless naval aviator, bringing a unique blend of youthful charm and intensity to the character. Just like a well-crafted crochet top, Cruise’s performance weaved together skill and charisma. The age difference between, Cruise and his co-star Kelly McGillis , who played Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood, added a layer of depth to their on-screen relationship. McGillis, five years Cruise’s senior, portrayed an experienced and confident astrophysicist and Top Gun instructor. This contrast not only enhanced the film’s romantic subplot but also underscored Cruise’s ability to hold his own against more seasoned actors. The youthful energy Cruise brought to the role of Maverick helped define the character as a symbol of audacity and ambition, traits that resonated strongly with the film’s audience and contributed significantly to its enduring popularity ( Explore Tom Cruise’s extensive filmography on IMDb ).

The Making of a Classic: Top Gun (1986)

The creation of the original “Top Gun” movie is a tale of cinematic innovation and passion. Directed by Tony Scott, the film brought together a talented cast and crew, determined to deliver an unforgettable experience. Tom Cruise’s dedication to his role was evident, as he immersed himself in the life of a naval aviator, even undergoing grueling flight training to add authenticity to his performance. The film’s production was marked by groundbreaking aerial photography and intense action sequences, setting new standards for the action genre. The film’s high-speed action scenes are as thrilling as pushing a Honda Grom to its top speed. The behind-the-scenes efforts culminated in a movie that not only became a box office sensation but also a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless fans and future filmmakers. View ‘Top Gun’ ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Top Gun Maverick (2022) – Tom Cruise’s Triumphant Return

“Top Gun Maverick,” released in 2022, marked Tom Cruise’s return to one of his most beloved roles, this time as a seasoned veteran of the skies. At the age of 59, Cruise reprised his role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, showcasing not only his enduring appeal but also his commitment to performing complex stunts himself. This sequel, arriving more than three decades after the original, connects with a new generation while paying homage to the legacy of the first film. Cruise’s age in “Top Gun Maverick” lent an added depth to his character, portraying a more experienced and reflective Maverick, yet still retaining the charisma and daring that defined him in 1986. This film’s success is a testament to Cruise’s timeless appeal and the enduring fascination with the character of Maverick.

For an insight into the dedication and skill akin to Cruise’s performance, discover the world of Top Gun Baseball .

Tom Cruise’s Legacy in the Top Gun Series

Tom Cruise’s journey through the “Top Gun” series is more than just a story of an actor reprising a role; it’s a testament to his enduring legacy in Hollywood. From a 24-year-old actor taking on the world in “Top Gun” to a seasoned performer in “Top Gun Maverick,” Cruise’s evolution mirrors that of his character, Maverick. This parallel showcases his growth not just as an actor but as an influential figure in the film industry. The way he embraced the character at different stages of his life speaks volumes about his commitment to his craft. The impact of Cruise’s performances in both films extends beyond the screen, influencing pop culture and inspiring a new generation of actors and filmmakers. His portrayal of Maverick has become synonymous with courage, determination, and the pursuit of excellence, qualities that resonate with audiences around the globe. Discover the intersection of Hollywood and aviation at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum .

As we reflect on the extraordinary journey of Tom Cruise in the “Top Gun” series, it’s clear that his portrayal of Maverick is not just a role but a landmark in cinematic history. Cruise’s age during the filming of both “Top Gun” and “Top Gun Maverick” brought a unique authenticity to his character, evolving from the audacious young pilot to the wise and experienced aviator. This evolution mirrors the timeless appeal of the films themselves, bridging generations of audiences with their exhilarating action and compelling storytelling. Tom Cruise’s contribution to the “Top Gun” legacy is a vivid reminder of the power of cinema to inspire and entertain, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of moviegoers across the world.

For more insights into the ‘Top Gun’ series, check out our Hangman Top Gun analysis.

The Tip To Peak team is a dynamic group of writers dedicated to providing top-notch advice and insights across a diverse range of topics. From offering the latest fashion tips to diving deep into the cultural significance of iconic films like "Top Gun," our experts are committed to helping you achieve peak performance in all aspects of life. Whether you're an adrenaline junkie looking for your next thrill, a sports enthusiast seeking expert guidance, or a music aficionado wanting to stay up-to-date on chart-topping hits, we've got you covered.

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Tom Cruise facts: Top Gun actor's age, films, marriages, children, net worth and more revealed

4 May 2023, 13:45

Tom Cruise has been one of Hollywood's leading names for over nearly forty years.

Tom Cruise is an American actor who is the fifth-highest-grossing (as of 2023) film actor of all time as well as one of the highest-paid actors in cinema.

He has appeared in some of the biggest film franchises ever like Top Gun and its sequel Top Gun: Maverick (which is his highest-grossing film to date), the Mission Impossible film series, as well as other blockbusters such as Jerry Maguire , Minority Report , Interview With A Vampire , A Few Good Men , The Last Samurai , War Of The Worlds, Days Of Thunder, Cocktail and Jack Reacher .

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Cruise became a Hollywood lead during the 1980s with stand-out performances in films like Rain Man , The Color Of Money , and Born on the Fourth of July .

Although he is well-known for his roles in action movies, Tom Cruise has also been nominated for four Academy Awards throughout his career, though he hasn't won any.

Cruise has been a member of the controversial Church of Scientology since converting in the 2000s, and has advocated for the organisation as it helped him to overcome his dyslexia.

Risky Business Original Glasses Dance Scene (Mandela FX)

How old is Tom Cruise and when was he born?

Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York. In 2023, he will turn 61 years old.

His father Thomas Cruise Mapother III was an electrical engineer and his mother Mary Lee was a special education teacher. They both originated from Louisville, Kentucky so Cruise and his three sisters (Lee Anne, Marian, and Cass) were brought up as Catholic.

One of his cousins, William Mapother is also an actor and has appeared alongside Cruise in five of his films.

He once described his father as "a merchant of chaos" as he was a violent bully who would beat Tom Cruise and his siblings.

How did Tom Cruise get his start in acting?

Tom Cruise moved around frequently during his youth due to his father's work, and attended 15 different schools in 14 years.

After falling in love with acting during his youth, Cruise eventually moved to New York City to pursue a career in the profession, then onwards to Los Angeles.

He was cast in several small roles shortly after his move, but it wasn't until he was cast in Francis Ford Coppola's 'Generation X' cult classic The Outsiders (which featured young stars like Patrick Swayze , Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, and Emilio Estevez) that he began gaining notoriety.

His big break came when he was cast in the iconic comedy-drama Risky Business which subsequently became a cult phenomenon and surprise box office hit, which is still regarded as one of the defining films of the 1980s.

What are Tom Cruise’s biggest films?

Top Gun (1986) Official Trailer - Tom Cruise Movie

- Mission Impossible (series)

- A Few Good Men

- Risky Business

- The Last Samurai

- Jerry Maguire

- The Color Of Money

- Born on the Fourth of July

- Top Gun: Maverick

Is Tom Cruise married?

Tom Cruise is not currently married. He divorced his third wife Katie Holmes in 2012.

He was also married twice before, first to actress Mimi Rogers from 1987-1990, and then to actress Nicole Kidman from 1990-2001 who he appeared alongside films like Days Of Thunder and Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut .

Does Tom Cruise have any children?

Tom Cruise has three children. He shares his only son Connor and eldest daughter Isabella with his ex-wife, Nicole Kidman who adopted the pair when they were married.

He also has a biological daughter, Suri, who he had with ex-wife Katie Holmes.

Cruise is notoriously private about his children and his relationship with them, although it's been repeatedly reported that he is estranged from his three kids.

What is Tom Cruise’s net worth?

JERRY MAGUIRE - Show Me the Money - MATHEMATICS in the MOVIES

Tom Cruise's reported net worth is $620 million.

Are there any other facts we should know about Tom Cruise?

Tom Cruise loses his mind on Oprah - Original Video - Hilarious!! - Celeburbia.com

The Hollywood action hero got his Hollywood teeth before he became a leading man, getting braces fitted before his career properly kicked off after being cast in Ridley Scott's fantasy film Legend .

Cruise was reportedly touted to play Neo in The Matrix film franchise before it went to Keanu Reeves , and similarly with the role of Iron Man before Robert Downey Jr was cast as the lead.

Executives at Disney wanted to likeness of Aladdin to resemble Tom Cruise as they said it'd make the character more likeable.

After his turn in Risky Business (and the iconic improvised dance scene) Cruise was credited with saving the sunglasses brand Ray-Ban from going under due to the renewed popularity the film gave the frames.

He participates in most of - if not all of - his stunts in movies, and has a gruelling regime to keep him prepared. When asked about how he keeps fit Cruise replied with: "Sea-kayaking, caving… fencing, treadmill, weights… rock-climbing, hiking… I jog… I do so many different activities."

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• Entertainment
• The New <i>Top Gun</i> Is So Much Better Than the First One

The New Top Gun Is So Much Better Than the First One

I t no longer matters whether you like or dislike Tom Cruise : no matter how good he looks in his ultra-moisturized, deal-with-the-devil skin, his ship has sailed not just into the waters of middle age, but beyond them. Always a performer desperate to be liked, Cruise has entered a new era, one of potential irrelevance, which could be the best thing that’s ever happened to him. In a world where we’re all either captivated or annoyed by TikTok , freaked out about global warming and the loss of a woman’s right to choose , and trying to coax recalcitrant relatives into getting vaccinated, it’s not even worth the effort to dislike him. And that, if you’re a person who has never liked Tom Cruise, frees you to enjoy the myriad over-the-top pleasures of Top Gun: Maverick.

Top Gun: Maverick , directed by Joseph Kosinski, is a much better film than its predecessor was, and much better than it needs to be overall. Tony Scott’s 1986 jockstrap of a movie about hotshot Naval pilots—produced by fast-lane Hollywood players Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, who perhaps bear more responsibility for its numbnuts machismo than Scott does—is a caveman relic that has achieved enduring popularity, a high-fiving fantasy populated with dude bros before we even had a name for them. In the ’80s, we went to Jim Jarmusch movies to get away from these guys.

Yet it’s easy to make peace with the 2022 version of these men, Cruise included. Top Gun: Maverick takes place in a world where no one seems to be all that worried about the threat to modern masculinity. One of the pilots in the current gang happens to be a woman (she’s played by Monica Barbaro), but even if that’s a significant departure from the 1986 movie, made at a time when women weren’t allowed to fly in combat, it’s still beside the point. Without ridiculing or diminishing them, Top Gun: Maverick allows its male characters to have doubts and insecurities, to fear that maybe they can’t be the best, to worry about being too old to matter. At one point Ed Harris, playing a crusty admiral in a cameo role that nods to The Right Stuff, one of the truly great movies of the ’80s, practically snarls at Cruise, playing aging whippersnapper Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, for disobeying orders: “The future is coming, and you’re not in it.” Even if this is cartoon anxiety about being sent out to pasture, it still counts. Every generation gets the feeling of creeping obsolescence it deserves.

And Maverick is feeling it. Never having achieved a rank higher than Captain, knowing that climbing the ranks would only ground him, he’s been working as a test pilot for the Navy: in an early sequence, he gets his Chuck Yeager moment, climbing into a plane that’s like a space bird and pushing both it and himself to the limit. What has he got to lose? But it turns out that that proverbial one last job is waiting for him: His old friend and rival Iceman ( Val Kilmer , whose inability to speak has been deftly written into the role), who is now officially a big gun, has called him in to train a group of youngsters for an almost impossible mission. They’ll have to guide their planes through—not above—a twisty canyon, flying at dangerously low altitudes, with the goal of taking out an enemy airstrip and bunker. Jealous Navy dude and uptight authority figure Cyclone (Jon Hamm) doesn’t think Maverick is up to the task, which of course means he can’t turn it down.

So Maverick returns to the place where it all started, the Top Gun training site known as Miramar, a.k.a. Fightertown U.S.A. He makes the move, apparently, on his motorcycle, with nothing more than his trademark patch-adorned leather jacket on his back. Who needs a U-Haul full of sofas, toaster ovens, and pants and T-shirts when you can just jump, unhelmeted, on your bike and go? Even before his first day on the job, he encounters his 12 recruits as they whoop it up at the local watering hole, which happens to be run by an old flame, Penny (Jennifer Connelly), mentioned in passing in the first movie but now a woman, and a character, with a life of her own. She has a daughter; she loves to sail. In one scene, she gets Maverick out on her boat, where she navigates staunchly at the tiller while Maverick clings tentatively to a railing behind her. Isn’t he supposed to be in the Navy, she asks him? “I don’t sail boats, Penny,” he informs her. “I land on them.”

Thar she blows—wit! Or what passes for it when Cruise is doing the talking. But Maverick is dead-serious when he’s training his pilots, a group he must narrow down to six for the mission. The crew of eager aspirants include Phoenix (Barbaro), whose presence the guys accept, correctly, as no big deal; arrogant Hangman (Glen Powell), toothpick hanging from his mouth with the devil-may-care insouciance of a guy who saw a movie once; and, most significantly, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s old flight partner and best friend Goose (played in the earlier movie by Anthony Edwards), who died during a training maneuver—a loss Maverick has never gotten over, and one he still feels responsible for, even though the Navy has absolved him.

There’s understandable tension between Maverick and Rooster. Rooster wants to charge forward at life; Maverick, though he can barely admit it, would prefer to hold him back just to protect him. This is the central conflict of Top Gun: Maverick, one that’s resolved in the movie’s multilayered and, typically for Cruise, over-the-top climax.

Read more reviews by Stephanie Zacharek

If you haven’t already read a million things about how Top Gun: Maverick was made, and how solemnly Cruise accepted this mission, don’t start now. It’s not really worth it, and it could dull your joy in the fact that this is, at the very least, a feat of old-fashioned action moviemaking, light on CGI, and favoring human beings actually moving and planes actually flying. (Bruckheimer is, incidentally, one of the film’s producers. Simpson died in 1996.) The flying sequences are divine, sometimes tense and sometimes rapturously freeing, and they feel realistic because they’re minimally touched by CGI. (Cruise is an experienced pilot, and got extra training from the Navy on top of that; his fellow actors learned to fly as well.) But even its more casual sequences show definitive flair: at one point Cruise and the younger pilots, all in beachwear, cavort in the surf during a rowdy game of dogfight football. The sun glints off the men’s water-dappled pecs; their aviator sunglasses hide their inevitable squinting. Bruce Weber could have done it better, but Kosinsky—who has made two previous features, the 2010 Tron: Legacy and the 2012 sci-fi drama Oblivion, also starring Cruise—pulls it off even so.

It may be damning Cruise with faint praise to call him tolerable in Top Gun: Maverick. But even if he’s just playing at the indignity of aging rather than truly feeling it, he’s at least attempting to be less of a hologram and more a facsimile of a human. Early in Top Gun: Maverick, he sits at Penny’s bar by himself, looking on as the younger pilots swig their beers, taunt one another, argue with good or ill humor about who’s the best pilot. His gaze—affectionate, a little wistful—signals that he knows what’s coming for him, sooner rather than later. But first, to show these kids he’s still got it. Love Tom Cruise or hate him, he’s the only one we’ve got; his particular set of qualities have no equal. The day he stops needing to prove himself will be like the day a lion loses the will to roar. And only a cruel person would rejoice in that.

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The Golden Age of the Aging Actor

Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ isn’t the exception—he’s the rule. There’s long been anecdotal evidence that top-line actors and actresses are getting older. Now, The Ringer has the data to back it up.

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Like its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is a movie about sweaty beach sports , awkward sex scenes , and dogfights with enemies of uncertain national origin . More so than the original, though, it’s also about aging. Maverick, a trainee in Top Gun , is now an instructor, regarded as a fossil, an old-timer, the last of his kind. Tethered to the past, he’s told that he’s going to get grounded as the guard changes not just to the next generation of pilots, but to uncrewed drones. He teaches his students that “Time is your greatest enemy,” a lesson hammered home by his old frenemy Iceman’s struggle with cancer. “It’s time to let go,” Iceman informs him. “I don’t know how,” Maverick replies.

All of this seems to make the movie a metaphor for film stardom. Tom Cruise, who first played Maverick when he was 23 and reprises the role in his late 50s, is a household name who hails from an era when there was such a thing, and when people, not IPs, were the biggest box-office attractions; he’s “Hollywood’s Last Real Movie Star,” as a recent New York Times feature dubbed him, or “The Last Action Hero,” as Ringer contributor Noah Gittell did . It may be true that Cruise’s kind of big-screen (or any -screen) star is “headed to extinction,” to borrow a phrase from Maverick’s boss, rear admiral Chester Cain (Ed Harris). But even if, as Cain says, “the end is inevitable,” Hollywood hasn’t let go of aging actors just yet. In fact, it’s clinging ever more tightly to them.

In the past 20 years—and particularly the last 10 to 15—the average age of actors appearing toward the top of the bill in film and TV projects has risen significantly. Whereas the star, or the top two or three stars, of the typical movie or TV series released in the closing decades of the 20th century was typically in their late 30s—several years older than the median age of the United States population at the time—today’s average actor age has reached the mid-40s and is steadily climbing toward 50. Actors who became fixtures on big screens and small in previous decades haven’t given way to new blood as quickly as was once customary. As a result, Hollywood’s leading men and women of today bear a strong resemblance to the leading men and women from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s after a trip to the beach from Old —except, of course, for the fact that actors like Cruise (who’ll turn 60 next week) don’t always look their age. The graying of actors—the ones with their natural hair colors, at least—appears to be the product of a confluence of factors that reflect the fracturing of culture in the post-monoculture age, the industry’s gravitation toward franchises and sequels, shifts in audience demographics, efforts to promote more inclusive casting, and a growing range of options for maintaining a more youthful appearance.

Top Gun: Maverick features 50-somethings Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, and Jon Hamm; 62-year-old Val Kilmer; and 71-year-old Ed Harris. The movie also makes space for a smattering of 30-somethings, led by Miles Teller, Glen Powell, and Jay Ellis (who turned 40 after filming finished), but the oldsters are the stars. Audiences have happily turned out to see them: The movie opened big at the box office over Memorial Day weekend, and its appeal has proved resilient in subsequent weeks. The movie has surpassed a cumulative gross of $500 million domestically and $1 billion worldwide, and although COVID concerns kept many older film watchers away from theaters during the peak of the pandemic, 55 percent of people who bought tickets to Top Gun in its opening weekend were over 35.

In this era, the average age of Top Gun ’s top two actors hardly stands out. Consider the duos associated with other recent, high-profile releases such as Coming 2 America (Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall) or Only Murders in the Building (Steve Martin and Martin Short); the aged (and sometimes digitally de-aged) ensembles of The Irishman or the just-concluded Grace and Frankie ; or the leads of Star Trek: Picard (Patrick Stewart) or Hacks (Jean Smart). The Taylor Sheridanverse that’s taking over TV features lead actors who range from their 50s to their late 70s: Kevin Costner, Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, Jeremy Renner. Heck, an increasing percentage of movies have had “Old” in their titles: Not only Old , but also All of the Old Knives , The Old Way , and Old Henry , just since the start of 2021. On TV, there’s the almost too on-the-nose The Old Man , the new FX/Hulu series featuring 72-year-old Jeff Bridges and 76-year-old John Lithgow.

Granted, aged actors gracing the screen is not a new phenomenon, and neither is naming movies and TV shows with the word “Old.” (Old Yeller was only five years old , but the Grumpy —and Grumpier —Old Men were getting up there.) However, our analysis of IMDb data shows that this apparent aging of actors isn’t just anecdotal. The graph below displays the average age (at time of release) of the top-listed actor, top two listed actors, and top three listed actors in movies produced since 1980 that have garnered at least 1,000 IMDb user ratings (a really low bar cleared by 3,000 to 4,000 movies per year worldwide, including streaming releases).

The same pattern appears in all three, as it does if we focus on more exclusive samples of movies with at least 10,000 IMDB user ratings (roughly 200 titles per year) …

… or non-animated movies released in theaters …

… or non-animated movies that made at least $10 million at the box office …

… or the top-grossing movie of each year.

As the average age of actors with prominent parts has soared, the fraction of movies in which at least one of the top two listed actors is over 60, and the fraction in which at least one is under 30, have correspondingly increased and declined, respectively:

And while the aging of male action stars—the Cruises, Craigs, Keanus, Neesons, and Stallones—is among the most visible manifestations of the trend, it seems to span multiple genres.

Recent releases have more missing birthdates on IMDb, as do younger actors, but that can’t skew the stats enough to account for these visuals. Essentially, actors who rose to prominence in past decades have yet to retire or be vaudeville hooked out of the frame, and the youngsters and understudies who might have been expected to succeed them haven’t really arrived the way their predecessors did. The chart below, a kind of aging curve for actors, shows how prolific actors born in each of the 20th century’s five 20-year buckets collectively were as they aged. The most recent cohort, which would be in its early 20s to early 40s now, is on a much less productive trajectory than the generations born between 1940 and 1960 or between 1960 and 1980. (For reference, there are more movies made than ever now, across all platforms and even after limiting to 1,000 or more IMDb ratings, though there’s been a decrease in theatrical releases over the past decade, which began prior to the pandemic.)

The top two actors from the top-grossing movie of each year of the 1990s went on to appear in 185 movies from 2000 to 2009, and 129 from 2010 to 2019. The top two actors from the top-grossing movie of the 2000s went on to make only 101 movies from 2010 to 2019. So not only did the ’90s stars nearly double the next-decade output of the 2000s stars, but the ’90s stars were still more active two decades after their box-office heydays than the 2000s stars were one decade later. “There’s just greater longevity, frankly, of the people who are acting,” says Bruce Nash, founder of movie-industry database The Numbers . The most bankable actors, per his site’s current ranking , are Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Bullock, both 57. But which is driving the trend: movie stars, or the movie business? Not to quash the suspense, but you know the drill: The answer is always “a bit of both.”

Ask industry sources, and you’ll get little pushback on the finding that lead actors, on average, are older than they used to be. (And not just in the sense that everyone who’s still living is older than they once were.) “People in Hollywood talk about this all the time,” says Matthew Belloni, founding partner and entertainment reporter at Puck (and host of Ringer show-business podcast The Town ). Nash adds, “It does certainly feel as though we do have that trend.” Casting director Mike Page confirms, “It definitely does track.” And Joshua Lynn, president of Piedmont Media Research , says, “It’s definitely true, you see the same names now that you did 15-to-20-plus years ago on the list of bankable stars.” The question is why this has happened—and on that topic, you’re liable to hear a range of responses.

One common hypothesis pins the blame for younger actors’ failure to reach the same heights of bankability on the decline of the monoculture. “The fracturization of the culture means it’s much more difficult to launch stars,” says Belloni. “You look at what’s going on with the Top Gun guys right now. In a previous generation, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, maybe Jay Ellis, those guys would all be stars that could be the center of their own movie now. But now, not really.” (Unless, that is, it’s a Marvel movie—but we’ll get to that.) As Page puts it, “It’s harder to establish these megastars now, because so few people are viewing the exact same content.”

In other words, actors of Cruise’s vintage, who came of age as actors and celebrities in a pre-internet age with fewer entertainment options and less siloed media diets, attained a level of cultural penetration that would be far more difficult for any actor to replicate now. Members of that generation who built their public profiles in a more fame-friendly era may be better positioned to cut through the static of competing people and products than those who didn’t debut or break big early enough to establish that foothold. Consequently, the former may be more able—or perceived as more able—to attract an audience on the strength of their reputation, which would make them more in demand. “You’ll keep seeing the same names over and over, because they happened to exist at a time when ‘movie stars’ were a more important thing to our culture than they are now,” Lynn says. Whether you noticed or not, Neeson has pumped out 24 action movies since starring in Taken in 2008, when he was 55. Another ’90s star, Adam Sandler, has made 22 non-animated movies since the start of 2008—including more comedies than he had in his whole career up to that point—most of which were part of lucrative Netflix deals .

Some sources suggest that somewhat paradoxically, the greater ease of access to celebrities today may diminish their movie-star cred. Jeff Bock, senior media analyst for Exhibitor Relations Co. , says, “Part of the mystique of being a larger-than-life movie star resides in the exclusivity of engagement with audiences. … Even though fans have more access [to younger stars], oftentimes it diminishes that unique bond one forms with consumers.” Belloni echoes that sentiment. “We can see Miles Teller all over his wife’s Instagram every day. And we can see him tweeting about the Phillies, and we can see him in all the paparazzi shots and on our TikTok feeds. And there’s nothing special about seeing Miles Teller in a movie anymore. Whereas … there [were] only a couple places to see Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Tom Cruise … or any of these guys that are considered action stars still today.” The social-media-driven “commoditization of actors,” Belloni believes, has “really, really diminished the ability to create new stars.”

Perhaps that’s partly because the current up-and-comers who might be movie-star material are less likely to inspire, or even aspire to inspire, the same sort of fandom as stars in previous eras. “There is a rising generation—more than one, really—of entertainment consumers that isn’t as committed to narrative entertainment as the generations before them,” says film historian and author Mark Harris . “Maybe they’re gamers, or maybe what they really enjoy is TikTok, or maybe it’s something else, but a generation can’t generate stars if it doesn’t really love the medium that creates and accommodates stars.” At the very least, the strain of stardom that newer media spawns may not look like yesterday’s flavor; the modern model may be closer to Kardashian than Cruise.

Even so, some actors still covet Cruise-ian cachet. (Per the Times , Powell told Cruise, “I’m trying to be you.”) They may just lack the avenues to achieve it, thanks to what Nash identifies as a “gap between the regular movies and the big blockbusters,” the latter of which are dwindling in number The remaining few, he adds, “come in, increasingly, the same mold. Really, what you’re seeing are superhero movies, [and] there’s not a lot of opportunity for people to become superhero movie stars.”

That increasing emphasis on franchise-based blockbusters has come at the expense of some of the old pathways to prominence. “There [are fewer] studio movies now than ever before, and the indie movie scene is pretty small and not as significant to Hollywood as it used to be, which allowed exciting new faces/voices into the mix,” Lynn says, adding, “There are just [fewer] opportunities for new people to suddenly emerge and lead a major film and then become stars, leading to more opportunities to lead other films subsequently.” To return to Teller: “In a previous generation, he would have the opportunity to do a mid-budget studio thriller, rom-com, something that would test his allure as a movie star and the ability to open a movie,” Belloni says. “And those movies are just not happening.”

Now, Lynn says, there are at most three routes to traditional movie stardom. You can rise from obscurity to star in a film from a respected studio director who became a big name in the ’80s or ’90s; you can earn critical acclaim from a series of smaller movies and then make the leap to Marvel, Star Wars , or another sci-fi tentpole; or you can cross over from a huge hit on TV, though it’s getting harder to have a Game of Thrones – or Stranger Things –level smash as streaming segmentation intensifies. Oscar Isaac, the Chrises , and Adam Driver, all now in their late 30s or early 40s, needed boosts from major genre movies to reach a new stardom stratosphere. As those movies make up a bigger proportion of the thinner studio release schedule, Lynn says, “You see the same people over and over again in those movies playing the same parts.”

Film data researcher Stephen Follows, who has also observed a 21st-century trend toward older actors, suspects that the thirst for reboots and sequels accounts for some of the aging trend, because recycling material leads to recycling stars. “It’s about films having the same people in them, and people sticking around for longer,” he says. “And therefore, by definition, they’re aging one year a year.” (Cruise, for instance, appears almost exclusively in sequels these days.) F. Andrew Hanssen, an economics professor at Clemson who detected early signs of a widespread aging of actors in a study published a decade ago, notes that whereas during the days of the studio system, studios would spend substantial sums on building up new stars, “The trend of paying large sums of money to relatively unknown actors to appear in a series of films (as Captain America, say)” may have “created an ‘anti-studio’ situation, in which the incentive to develop new actors except in this narrow capacity has become even weaker.”

Of course, the explosion in sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes—not only in movies, but in other media, giving rise to what researcher Adam Mastroianni has labeled a “ pop oligopoly ”—stems in part from the fretting about breaking through in a crowded culture, which leads studios to default to the same old names. “The name above the poster is a rarity these days, and because the cost to green-light a blockbuster is an enormous risk for studios, these companies often lean on what has worked previously—sequels and big stars,” says Bock. Last month, Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer said as much, remarking , “I still get the same list of 10 men the studios want in a movie. You still get Tom, Leonardo [DiCaprio]. Get one of these big names and you’ve got a good shot at getting a movie made.” Asked for other names, he listed Brad Pitt, who at 58 just related that he’s on the “last leg” of his career; pressed for someone who wasn’t famous last century, he allowed that Hemsworth has “broken through.”

Which isn’t to say that things have to work that way. “Bruckheimer is not wrong in that there are a limited number of actors who can ‘carry’ a movie,” Belloni says. “But I think Hollywood is a little bit to blame here for being risk-averse and not trying certain actors in these roles. … A lot of it is fear that there is such a splintered culture.” Follows also attributes part of the aging effect to “the risk-averse nature of the people commissioning” blockbusters, though he notes that the evidence of actor aging even outside of theatrical releases from major studios “does suggest that it is more of a cultural trend than just the conscious or unconscious decision of 20 people.”

What else could be contributing to that cultural trend? For one thing, this situation isn’t the inverse of Wooderson’s line from Dazed and Confused , in which the actors get older while the audience stays the same age. The audience is getting older also, along with the U.S. population, whose median age is up 8.5 years since 1980. Consequently, catering to middle-aged spectators and senior citizens is more rewarding for the makers of movies and TV. “Older audiences are fueling moviegoing right now,” Belloni says. In 2019 , people 60 or older accounted for more tickets sold than any other age group except 25 to 39. And as younger viewers cut the cord and churn through streaming services , cable-connected and deeper-pocketed viewers are making their preferences felt on TV, too.

“You do have to target the older audiences, because they are the ones that are still paying,” Page says, adding, “They’re probably looking more for content and lead characters, lead actors, that are relevant and reflect their lives and experience.” Although Follows has found that the impact of actor age on audience turnout may be overrated, the perception of a link influences studios. “I probably would be more inclined to see Liam Neeson in an action movie, given my age, than Tom Holland,” says Nash, who’s 54. “You see that in romantic comedies as well. It’s not people in their early 20s anymore. It’s people in their 40s, sometimes, and the second chances at romance, and so on, tends to be a little bit more the prevailing force.”

Older characters require older actors—and like Cruise, those actors may seem to defy the ticking clock that Maverick warned about, especially compared to the chain-smoking stars of old (and old-looking) Hollywood. “Actors look young for longer, thanks to advances in exercise and diet (not to mention cosmetic surgery), and can credibly play action heroes or romantic leads at older ages than in the past,” Hanssen says. ( Physique-enhancing drugs may play a part, too.) Plus, there’s always the option of airbrushing. “Between both modern medicine and what they can do with digital makeup and things like that in post, you can have stars that are aging out, but you still pretend that they’re age appropriate,” Belloni says. And an aging audience might have an evolving definition of “appropriate.” Page points to a “societal expansion of what sexy is, what vitality is, and getting to see that there’s not necessarily an expiration date at 50, at 60, at 70.” (Which is the theme of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande , a movie released last week that stars the 63-year-old Emma Thompson and includes a much - discussed nude scene.)

Actors aren’t alone here: By historical standards, today’s top politicians , top touring musicians , top tennis players , and top quarterbacks are ancient too. It’s the era of presidential runs by Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Bernie Sanders; pricey, sold-out concerts by Paul McCartney, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones; unprecedented title totals by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic; one-two MVP finishes by Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady . Just as new racket strings and slower playing surfaces have helped venerable tennis stars stay at a higher level for longer—and, for that matter, as improvements in manufacturing have kept cars on the road for record durations —tuneups to actors’ exteriors have helped them stay on screens and win Oscars at more advanced ages. Jessica Daniels , a Casting Society of America board member and the VP of casting for Walt Disney Television, says, “60 years old now doesn’t look like 60 years old did 20 or 30 years ago, and people are living longer, and so just by virtue of that, I think that we’re all adapting.”

Another factor fueling that change is anti-ageism advocacy by organizations such as the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Although in theory the extended tenures of legacy stars could prevent a group of more diverse actors from seizing the spotlight, studies show sweeping improvements in representation, at least in front of the camera. “It feels like the industry is … moving in the right direction as far as diversification in many areas, and I think age is one of those,” Page says. Historically, female actors have faced severe age discrimination , and that problem persists; Bruckheimer, when asked to list female counterparts to his bankable Brads, Toms, and Leos, said, “Women are harder. It’s just not that strong a list yet.” However, the trend toward older actors holds true for both men and women, and the age gap between them has seemingly started to shrink (though Top Gun costar Kelly McGillis attributed her absence from the sequel to her age and appearance).

“I definitely think, specifically in television, we are breaking a lot more barriers,” Daniel says. “I think that there is so much more room for not only a diversity and inclusivity of experience, but I do think that there’s an audience that does want to see not only beloved actors that we’ve loved for years, but also just wants to see this experience, wants to see these stories being told.” Although the lines on that graph aren’t close to converging, Nash notes that there’s “not necessarily so much of a bias as there might once have been.”

For the foreseeable future, those “average age” lines may continue their ascent. “With YouTube getting more interest among kids than the state of the Academy Awards, and with streaming fracturing the landscape as we speak even further, I honestly don’t see that changing anytime soon,” Lynn says. The question confronting Hollywood seems similar to the question confronting the ATP Tour as Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic finally age out : Who’s next? “Beyond [Timothée] Chalamet, Holland, and Zendaya, name a movie star under 30.” Belloni says. “It’s tough.” Letitia Wright, Florence Pugh, Hailee Steinfeld, and (soon) Sydney Sweeney may make the most of their Marvel exposure, but in the absence of a deep pool of marquee talent, Page says, “Everybody clamors for the short list of the recognizable names.” Al Pacino anointed Chalamet as his pick to play Vincent Hanna in a potential Heat 2 , and Sony sold Uncharted to audiences using Holland’s post-Spider-Man star power, even though his older costar, Mark Wahlberg, was the one whose name helped get the movie made. (Wahlberg, now a fanatically buff 51, embodied the older-actors hegemony when in 2012 he replaced the 15-years-younger Shia LaBeouf as the face of Transformers .) But Holland and the Dune duo can act only so much.

Cary Grant, who retired at 62, supposedly said , “Hollywood is very much like a streetcar. Once a new star is made and comes aboard, an old one is edged out of the rear exit. There’s room for only so many and no more.” But what if the old stars won’t relinquish their status until they’re elderly enough for riders in real life to offer them seats? The star of Top Gun: Maverick has two more Mission Impossible movies on the way, but Chester Cain wasn’t wrong; Cruise can’t act forever, and by the time that second flick comes out, he’ll be pushing 62 himself. “There is not going to be another Tom Cruise,” Belloni says. “That era is over.” But the era of old actors has no end in sight.

Rob Arthur is a Chicago-based freelance journalist and data science consultant.

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Tom Cruise Gets Sweet 60th Birthday Message from 'Top Gun' Costar Val Kilmer: 'Happy Birthday Mav'

Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick costars Val Kilmer and Glen Powell raised a virtual toast to Cruise in honor of his milestone 60th birthday over the weekend

Tom Cruise rang in his 60th birthday with a special birthday wish from his best wingman.

Val Kilmer — who starred as Top "Iceman" Kazansky to Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in 1986's Top Gun and reprised his role in the recently released Top Gun: Maverick — posted a sweet message to Cruise on Sunday as the actor celebrated his latest age milestone.

"Happy Birthday Mav @TomCruise from Ice!" tweeted Kilmer, 62, referencing their iconic characters' call signs.

Among Cruise's other Maverick costars to wish him many happy returns on social media was Glen Powell , who shared a snapshot of the daredevil actor hanging off the side of a plane .

"This is 60," wrote Powell, 33. "TC, there is just no one like you. Keep hangin' in there. Happy Birthday! ⁦ @TomCruise ."

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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

True to his love of action, Cruise himself spent part of his birthday weekend in attendance at the British F1 Grand Prix on Sunday.

The actor was seen flashing a big smile while greeting fans and rubbing shoulders with other VIP attendees.

Other familiar faces in attendance at the event included Gordon Ramsay , Geri Halliwell and Lewis Hamilton .

RELATED VIDEO: Top Gun: Maverick Stars Tom Cruise , Jon Hamm, Miles Teller and More on Filming the "Love Letter to Aviation"

Meanwhile, Top Gun: Maverick passed the $1 billion mark at the global box office over the weekend of June 25, according to Variety . It became the first of Cruise's films to reach the rare milestone, with his next-highest global earner being 2018's Mission: Impossible – Fallout , which made $791.1 million.

Cruise was thrilled to have Kilmer return for the sequel. "I've always admired his work, his talent," Cruise told PEOPLE in May, adding, "We get together ... we just start laughing. It was special to have him back. It meant a lot to me."

For Kilmer, becoming Iceman once again was "like being reunited with a long-lost friend." Even after more than 30 years, he told PEOPLE, "the characters never really go away. They live on in deep freeze. If you'll pardon the pun."

Top Gun: Maverick is now playing in theaters.

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Inside the Original ‘Top Gun’: How Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer Assembled the 1986 Tom Cruise Classic

By Cynthia Littleton

Cynthia Littleton

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The original “Top Gun” is a study in Hollywood moviemaking of a certain era — an era captured in the pages of Variety as the movie was birthed starting in mid-1983 until its triumphant release by Paramount Pictures three years later.

The movie came together during the period when Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer were at the peak of their powers as red-hot producers of culture-shaking films such as 1983’s “Flashdance” and 1984’s “Beverly Hills Cop.” The film that the pair crafted with numerous screenwriters (more on that in the clips), director Tony Scott and veteran producer Bill Badalato launched Tom Cruise to a new level of stardom and created a legacy sturdy enough for Cruise, Bruckheimer and Paramount to leap back to the top of the box office nearly 40 years later with the long-delayed, made-for-movie-screens sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.”

As demonstrated by the steady pace of news about “Top Gun,” Simpson and Bruckheimer had a ton of clout with Paramount and the industry at the time. They even were able to control the rights to the soundtrack for the film — something they learned from the success of “Flashdance” and “Beverly Hills Cop.” Simpson-Bruckheimer Prods. cut a deal with Columbia Records for the soundtrack that spent several weeks at No. 1 in the summer of 1986 and yielded hits for Kenny Loggins (“‘Danger Zone”), Berlin (“Take My Breath Away”) and Harold Faltermeyer (“Top Gun Anthem,” “Memories”).

A trip through the Variety archives shows the first reference to the movie in nascent form came about two months after California magazine published the article that inspired the movie. “ Top Guns,” penned by Ehud Yonay, told the story of derring-do by top-tier young pilots at the Naval Air Station Miramar training facility near San Diego.

The project was mentioned as one of several in development in the Aug. 3, 1983 edition of Daily Variety , which included a page 1 story about Simpson and Bruckheimer signing a rich new three-year production pact with Paramount, which was eager to keep its dynamic duo on the Melrose lot. (In classic slate-story fashion, the other early-gestating projects cited are worth a read-through for ’80s movie obsessives.)

The “Top Gun”-related clips shared here follow the nuts-and-bolts process of assembling a movie, from landing Cruise and director Tony Scott to the hurdles in selecting the film’s female lead to the tragic 1985 death of ace pilot Art Scholl,who crashed while capturing aerial footage for the movie.

A look back at the transactional history of “Top Gun” also adds telling details to the legend of the late Don Simpson. Variety’s coverage of the voluble producer is a window on how the master showman worked every lever — he was on the phone with Variety ‘s Army Archerd at least once a week — to lay the groundwork for a blockbuster that would stand the test of time.

Simpson had his demons that led to his death in January 1996 at the age of 52. But before tales of his personal behavior overtook his professional accomplishments, he spent years as a movie marketing and advertising executive. He knew what to do with a massive hit. And he had a lot of thoughts about what it takes to make a great movie.

As Simpson told Variety in August 1983 when he and Bruckheimer inked what would be a fruitful, multi-picture deal with Paramount:

Interestingly, all of the 11 films Simpson and Bruckheimer now have in development are original ideas rather than scripts based on novels or film remakes. “One of the problems and reasons behind movies failing is that they’re not based on new ideas, ” Simpson offered. “We have much more on the upside working this way and I think our personal aptitude is more in that area.”

August 3, 1983: 'Top Gun' the Movie is Born

The first reference to “Top Gun” as a movie project came in the Aug. 3, 1983, edition of Daily Variety .

Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer parlayed their success with “Flashdance” into a lucrative multi-picture deal with Paramount Pictures — a pact that would pay off nicely for both sides with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Top Gun,” for starters.

The above-the-fold page 1 story in Variety cemented their status as hot-shot movie producers. It’s full of pearls of wisdom from Simpson, who had previously been president of production at Paramount before stepping down to produce “Flashdance.”

The story also features Paramount president Michael Eisner vowing that the pair would “be productive in both films and television.” What’s more, Eisner assured, in a quote that is now a time capsule, the TV marketplace was wide open for the pair: “We have two of the three networks interested in them (Simpson and Bruckheimer) as a team,” Eisner told Daily Variety ‘s Steven Ginsberg.

(Bruckheimer, of course, was destined for big things in TV, but it would take another 17 years before he found his first smash hit, CBS’ “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”)

Read the story in two parts below.

December 7, 1984: 'Top Guns' Gets the Greenlight

Paramount Pictures gave Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer an early holiday gift in December 1984 with the formal greenlight for what was dubbed “Top Guns,” as the tale was titled in the original 1983 magazine article on the Miramar Naval Air Station, aka “Fightertown, U.S.A.” It’s no coincidence that the good news came to Simpson and Bruckheimer as the pair’s Eddie Murphy starrer “Beverly Hills Cop” was beginning its strong run that same month.

Simpson vowed to Variety that the movie about hot-shot naval aviators would be akin to “this generation’s ‘From Here to Eternity.’ ”

Read the story below.

March 28, 1985: 'Top Gun' Lands Its Star and Director

A new regime at Paramount Pictures (Michael Eisner had moved on to run Disney by this point) threw even more money at Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer in 1985, as “Top Gun” readied for lensing and as “Beverly Hills Cop” fired up the box office. News that the producers had landed Tom Cruise to star and Tony Scott to direct made page 1 on March 28, 1985.

May 20, 1985: 'Top Gun' Gets a Quick Rewrite

Producer Don Simpson kept beloved Variety columnist Army Archerd regularly apprised of the trajectory of “Top Gun.” Here it’s clear he was doing some proactive damage control on rumors that the studio was unhappy with the script just as filming was about to begin.

June 3, 1985: Casting Call for 'Top Gun' Female Lead

“Available part: 26-28, femme, physics proficiency, intelligent, starring role.”

With cameras getting ready to roll in San Diego, Paramount sought submissions for the female lead on “Top Gun” as late as the June 3, 1985, edition of Daily Variety .

But in reality, the “Top Gun” team wasn’t waiting on general submissions to land in Marge Simpkin’s office at Paramount. Two days after that item ran, Variety columnist Army Archerd reported in “Just for Variety” that Kelly McGillis had landed the plum part opposite Tom Cruise.

McGillis was on a roll in her career at the time, coming off a well-reviewed performance with Harrison Ford in 1985’s “Witness.” But she did not return for sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.”

September 18, 1985: Top Hollywood Pilot Killed While Working on 'Top Gun'

“Top Gun” came face-to-face with the danger of flying during production when veteran Hollywood film pilot Art Scholl was killed while shooting second-unit aerial footage for director Tony Scott.

Daily Variety , in the Sept. 18, 1985, edition, reported that Scholl, 53, was believed to have died after his “prop-driven biplane crashed into the sea off the northern coast of San Diego.” A Paramount rep told Variety that Scholl had been working with a remote control camera.

Scholl’s previous credits include 1983’s “Blue Thunder” and “The Right Stuff” and 1975’s “The Great Waldo Pepper,” among other films. He was survived by his wife, Judy, and two sons, David and John.

May 9, 1986: 'Top Gun' Review -- 'Revved-Up But Empty Entertainment'

Let’s be frank: Variety did not love “Top Gun” on first viewing. Our reviewer deemed it “revved-up but empty entertainment” and observed that “watching the film is like wearing a Walkman” thanks to its propulsive soundtrack. But we did allow that “audiences prepared to go with it will be taken for a thrilling ride in the wide blue yonder.” (According to Variety ‘s unusual custom back then, the reviewer stayed mostly anonymous under the abbreviated byline “Jagr.”)

Read Variety ‘s original “Top Gun” review in two parts.

May 21, 1986: 'Top Gun' Soars at the Box Office

The verdict was in after opening weekend. “Top Gun” was a hit.

Variety reported on the film’s “big bow,” which ranked as the second-best of the year and helped boost overall receipts over the previous weekend by 37%. Simpson/Bruckheimer Productions and Paramount Pictures also made sure the industry didn’t miss the big numbers with a double-truck grosses ad that featured an instantly iconic shot of star Tom Cruise.

See the story and advertisement below.

January-March 1987: 'Top Gun' FYC Ads

“Top Gun” lived up to its name and stayed aloft as the top-grossing movie of 1986. Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and Paramount Pictures took a shot at the Oscar race, but they were practical.

Variety ‘s pages during the heat of the early 1987 campaign season (for movies released in 1986) demonstrate that Team “Top Gun” wisely focused its efforts on competing in song and score categories as well as film editing. The movie wound up earning a total of four Academy Award nominations: for sound, film editing, sound effects editing and original song, for tunesmiths Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock for “Take My Breath Away,” as performed by Berlin. The film’s sole win came for song.

Here’s a sampling of “Top Gun” For Your Consideration ads.

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Tom Cruise Age In Top Gun 1

Tom Cruise Age In Top Gun 1 and 8 Interesting Facts

Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962, which means he was 24 years old when he starred in the iconic film Top Gun in 1986. At the time, Cruise was already a rising star in Hollywood, having gained attention for his roles in films like Risky Business and All the Right Moves. Top Gun catapulted Cruise to even greater fame and solidified his status as a leading man in the industry.

Here are 8 interesting facts about Tom Cruise’s age in Top Gun 1:

1. Cruise was actually one of the older actors in the cast of Top Gun. Val Kilmer, who played his rival and friend Iceman, was only 26 years old at the time, making him two years younger than Cruise.

2. Despite being in his mid-20s, Cruise convincingly portrayed a young and cocky fighter pilot in Top Gun. His performance helped to cement his reputation as a versatile actor who could handle action-packed roles with ease.

3. Top Gun was a huge box office success, grossing over $356 million worldwide. The film’s popularity helped to further propel Cruise’s career and establish him as a bankable star in Hollywood.

4. One of the most iconic scenes in Top Gun is the volleyball scene, where Cruise and his fellow pilots play a game shirtless. Cruise’s chiseled physique and youthful energy in this scene helped to solidify his status as a heartthrob for many fans.

5. Cruise performed many of his own stunts in Top Gun, including flying a fighter jet and performing aerial maneuvers. His dedication to authenticity and willingness to take on challenging physical roles has become a hallmark of his career.

6. Despite his age, Cruise’s performance in Top Gun earned him praise from critics and audiences alike. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in the film, further solidifying his status as a leading man in Hollywood.

7. Top Gun also helped to popularize Cruise’s signature smile, which has since become one of his most recognizable features. His charisma and charm on screen endeared him to audiences around the world and helped to make him a household name.

8. In the years since Top Gun was released, Cruise has continued to be a major presence in Hollywood. He has starred in numerous blockbuster films and has received multiple awards for his work as an actor and producer. Despite his age, Cruise shows no signs of slowing down and continues to take on challenging roles in a variety of genres.

Common Questions About Tom Cruise Age In Top Gun 1:

1. How old was Tom Cruise when he starred in Top Gun?

Tom Cruise was 24 years old when he starred in Top Gun in 1986.

2. Who played Tom Cruise’s rival in Top Gun?

Val Kilmer played Tom Cruise’s rival and friend Iceman in Top Gun.

3. What was the box office gross of Top Gun?

Top Gun grossed over $356 million worldwide at the box office.

4. Did Tom Cruise perform his own stunts in Top Gun?

Yes, Tom Cruise performed many of his own stunts in Top Gun, including flying a fighter jet.

5. What award was Tom Cruise nominated for his role in Top Gun?

Tom Cruise was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in Top Gun.

6. What is one of the most iconic scenes in Top Gun?

The volleyball scene, where Cruise and his fellow pilots play a game shirtless, is one of the most iconic scenes in Top Gun.

7. How did Top Gun help to solidify Tom Cruise’s status as a leading man in Hollywood?

Top Gun was a huge box office success and helped to establish Cruise as a bankable star in Hollywood.

8. What has Tom Cruise continued to do since starring in Top Gun?

Tom Cruise has continued to be a major presence in Hollywood, starring in numerous blockbuster films and receiving multiple awards for his work.

9. How did Tom Cruise’s age compare to his co-stars in Top Gun?

Tom Cruise was actually one of the older actors in the cast of Top Gun, with Val Kilmer being two years younger than him.

10. What physical activity did Tom Cruise perform in Top Gun?

Tom Cruise performed many of his own stunts in Top Gun, including flying a fighter jet and performing aerial maneuvers.

11. What is one of Tom Cruise’s most recognizable features?

Tom Cruise’s signature smile has become one of his most recognizable features since his role in Top Gun.

12. What impact did Top Gun have on Tom Cruise’s career?

Top Gun helped to catapult Tom Cruise to even greater fame and solidify his status as a leading man in Hollywood.

13. What genre of films has Tom Cruise starred in since Top Gun?

Tom Cruise has starred in a variety of genres since Top Gun, including action-packed blockbusters and dramatic roles.

14. How has Tom Cruise’s dedication to authenticity helped his career?

Tom Cruise’s dedication to authenticity and willingness to take on challenging physical roles has become a hallmark of his career and has earned him praise from critics and audiences alike.

15. What can audiences expect from Tom Cruise in the future?

Despite his age, Tom Cruise shows no signs of slowing down and continues to take on challenging roles in a variety of genres, proving that he is still a major presence in Hollywood.

In conclusion, Tom Cruise’s age in Top Gun 1 was 24 years old, and he delivered a memorable performance that helped to solidify his status as a leading man in Hollywood. His dedication to authenticity, willingness to perform his own stunts, and charismatic on-screen presence have made him a beloved and enduring figure in the industry. Cruise’s career has only continued to flourish since his breakout role in Top Gun, and audiences can look forward to seeing him in many more exciting projects in the future.

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How Much Tom Cruise Made For The Original 'Top Gun' Versus How Much He Made For 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Posted: April 15, 2024 | Last updated: April 15, 2024

The legacy of "Top Gun" is one of action, adventure, and dedication to pushing the limits. Those are all things that Tom Cruise has taken to heart in developing his own career as well, as anyone can see by tracking the path he’s taken over his decades of experience. One could even say the same about the salaries he’s been able to command, as comparing how much he made between the original outing and its legacy-quel "Top Gun: Maverick" is the difference between night and day. (But that has nothing to do with the Tom Cruise film Knight and Day.)

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Screen Rant

Top gun 3's biggest maverick twist would avoid tom cruise's $4 billion franchise curse.

Top Gun 3 could use a shocking Maverick twist to pull off something that even Tom Cruise's most successful franchise has never been able to do.

• Top Gun 3 could replace Tom Cruise's beloved character, Maverick, with Miles Teller's Rooster as the new hero.
• Mission: Impossible failed to replace Cruise's Ethan Hunt, making Top Gun 3's potential twist unique.
• Killing off Maverick may be necessary for the franchise's longevity, as Cruise's presence dominates the series.

While Top Gun 3 may want to steer clear of one risky twist, this surprising reveal would allow the series to do something that Tom Cruise’s other franchise has never managed. For the longest time, it seemed like Top Gun would never spawn a profitable franchise. The original movie was a huge hit in 1986 and became a cult classic in the decades that followed, but its sequel spent an almost unprecedented 30 years in Development Hell before pre-production began in earnest. It was another six years before Top Gun: Maverick arrived, so hopes of the movie spawning another sequel were muted.

However, by Top Gun: Maverick ’s triumphant ending , it was clear that Tom Cruise had another huge series on his hands. Inevitably, Top Gun 3 was soon confirmed , although no release date has been announced for the sequel yet. Top Gun: Maverick ’s historic box office success proved that Maverick’s lengthy absence from the multiplex didn’t harm his popularity one bit, while the comparative under-performance of 2023’s Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One reaffirmed that the sequel was something special. Top Gun 3 ’s story could ensure that the series lasts a lot longer, but this will be risky.

Killing Off Maverick Would Let Top Gun Replace Him

Miles teller’s rooster could become the franchise’s new hero.

Top Gun 3 killing off Tom Cruise’s Maverick could allow the series to replace him , something that the actor’s other blockbuster franchise has never managed to pull off. Maverick dying wouldn’t be a huge shock in Top Gun 3 , especially after the original movie killed off Goose and Top Gun: Maverick killed off Iceman. These deaths proved that life as a Navy test pilot was risky and that Maverick’s age was catching up with him, two things that will still be true when Top Gun 3 brings Cruise’s antihero back to screens. Furthermore, Maverick isn’t exactly a risk-averse character.

Maverick’s Darkstar test flight was so dangerous that some viewers even hypothesized that he secretly died in Top Gun: Maverick ’s opening scene and the remainder of the movie was his dying dream. While this theory is a little extreme, there is no doubt that Maverick’s death would make perfect sense in Top Gun 3 . There is no reason for Top Gun 3 to rush into production while Cruise is still making Mission: Impossible sequels, and the character’s death grows more likely the older he gets. Meanwhile, Top Gun 3 already has a perfect Maverick replacement lined up in Miles Teller's Rooster.

Tom Cruise’s Other Major Series Couldn’t Replace Him

Mission: impossible failed to dethrone ethan hunt.

If Top Gun 3 does kill off Cruise’s character, this would be the first time that one of the actor’s blockbuster movie franchises has successfully replaced him. Cruise was technically replaced by Alan Ritchson in the role of Jack Reacher, but this only worked because the franchise changed from theatrical movies to an unrelated streaming series. In contrast, when Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol tried to establish Jeremy Renner’s Agent Brandt as a potential replacement for Cruise's Ethan Hun t, this effort ended in failure. Top Gun 3 could avoid this fate by killing off Maverick, something the Mission: Impossible movies never tried.

Killing off Maverick would ensure that Miles Teller’s Rooster could fill his role as the next movie’s protagonist. Much like Top Gun: Maverick ’s Iceman death gave Maverick a reason to grow and change, Maverick’s death could be the conduit for Rooster becoming a leader. One of the main reasons that Renner’s Brandt failed to convince as an action hero in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol was that Cruise’s Hunt remained a more interesting, dynamic character throughout the sequel. To give Rooster a real shot at headlining the series, Cruise’s character couldn’t remain a presence in the franchise.

Top Gun 3 Can’t Replace Maverick Without Killing Him

Cruise’s best franchises couldn’t make him a supporting star.

Cruise is a leading man and, as such, Mission: Impossible and Top Gun would both be unable to replace him without killing off his character. Since Top Gun: Maverick gave Maverick a happy ending , Top Gun 3 could always retire the character and see Rooster replace him as a teacher for young recruits. However, it would be hard to get viewers invested in Rooster’s story if Cruise’s Maverick was still around. Maverick is the center of the Top Gun franchise’s universe, with both of the original movies focusing on his character arc.

This means that Top Gun 3 killing off Cruise is the only way to replace Maverick . However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the series needs to take this approach. Maverick could remain the star of the series, especially given how enduringly popular the Mission: Impossible movies are. Although the franchise’s most recent outing underperformed financially, the series remains a critical darling. As such, Top Gun 3 may end up keeping Cruise around thanks to his persistent popularity.

Top Gun: Maverick

This Is The Worst Tom Cruise Cameo, According To Movie Critics

Tom Cruise has been in over 40 movies, but it's his uncredited 1988 role that's being called his worst cameo.

• Tom Cruise's short cameo in Young Guns was not well-received, but the movie was still a box office success.
• Even in his uncredited role in Young Guns, Tom Cruise displayed his early interest in performing stunts.
• Known for his daring stunts in Mission: Impossible, Cruise's early days of heart-stopping action started with Top Gun.

Tom Cruise has delivered many memorable roles over his four decades on-screen. He's not just known as a leading man, he has also made numerous cameos and uncredited appearances in movies.

Despite successful cameos in Tropic Thunder, Austin Powers in Goldmember and The Outsiders , not all his minor roles have landed. His appearance in 1988's Young Guns is one of Cruise's less successful appearances. Although it allowed him to showcase his love of stuntwork and starred some of the hottest actors of the generation, the film was poorly received.

With just 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, Young Guns was considered a disappointing Western that chose style over substance. Despite the less-than-stellar reviews, the movie grossed $45.7 million in the US and Canada and was a box office success.

In the following, we take a look at Tom Cruise's uncredited role in Young Guns and why movie critics say it's Tom Cruise's worst cameo. We also reveal how Cruise's small role in Young Guns was actually major for his career performing his own stunts.

Tom Cruise's Worst Cameo In 1988's Young Guns

Tom Cruise makes a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in Young Guns . The 1988 film is a fictionalized version of Billy the Kid's adventures during the Lincoln County War. Due to its star-studded cast, which featured Kiefer Sutherland, Emilio Estevez, and Charlie Sheen, the film is associated with the brat pack.

For a brief moment, the Tom Cruise appears as a henchman for Jack Palance's character Lawrence Murphy. Cruise is on screen for a short time, hidden behind a mustache and a cowboy hat , before he is shot down. If you didn't know it was the Mission Impossible actor in the role, he would be easy to miss.

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Tom Cruise's appearance in the movie is uncredited. It is thought that Cruise was just on set visiting when the director, Christopher Cain, thought it would be fun to add him to the movie for the final battle. Although his cameo adds nothing to the story, it's a nice little slice of trivia for movie fans.

Compared to his Tom Cruise's other cameos , Young Guns is an insignificant addition to his filmography. His other cameos use Cruise's star power and charisma to make an impression. In Tropic Thunder, he plays a morally corrupt Hollywood exec; in Austin Powers in Goldmember , he appears as a meta version of himself; in Rock Of Ages , he briefly appears as a flamboyant rockstar.

Although Young Guns was met with mixed reviews, the 1988 movie did well at the box office, and a sequel was made in 1990 with the principal cast returning.

Why Tom Cruise's Young Guns Cameo Was Important To His Career

Although Tom Cruise's role in Young Guns is unremarkable and far-fleeting, it does display his early interest in stunt work . Since his appearance in the movie about gunslingers seeking revenge, Cruise has become known for his dangerous stunt work.

Cruise admitted that he has always loved doing dangerous things , spending his childhood doing "flips off of [his] house into the snow" and performing precarious bicycle jumps over ditches.

Tom Cruise Refused To Discuss His Worst Box Office Film Ever After The Final Version Differed From The Director's Cut

Cruise explained to Graham Norton on his chat show that he has "always loved fast cars, motorcycles, hiking, and climbing."

“I feel that [when] acting you’re bringing everything, you know, physically and emotionally, to a character in a story, And I’m able to do it [stunts], and I’ve trained for 30 years doing things like this that it allows us to put cameras in places where you normally are not able to.”

During an appearance at Cannes in 2022, Cruise admitted he doesn't intend to give up the dangerous stunts anytime soon .

“No one asked Gene Kelly, ‘Why do you dance? Why do you do your own dancing?’”

How Tom Cruise's Stunt Work Has Grown Over The Years

Tom Cruise has become known for performing death-defying stunts in many of his movies, most notably the Mission: Impossible franchise. Over the last two decades, the Minority Report actor has climbed the world's tallest building, hung from helicopters, and held his breath underwater for a significant amount of time.

Even before he took on the role of Ethan Hunt, he was doing his own stunts in 1986's Top Gun . The scene in which Maverick (Cruise) and Goose (Anthony Edwards) are ejected from the jet and parachuted into the water nearly caused the Rain Man star serious injury.

Actor Barry Tubb told the New York Post on the film’s 25th anniversary that “Cruise came as close to dying as anybody on a set I’ve ever seen.” Cruise almost drowned during the scene as his parachute filled with water, and the actor started to sink.

“They were refilling the camera or something, and luckily, one of the frogmen in the chopper saw his chute ballooning out,” Tubb, who played Wolfman in the movie, explained.

“He jumped in and cut Cruise loose right before he sank. They would have never found him. He would have been at the bottom of the ocean.”

Tom Cruise Pushes For ‘Top Gun 3’ After Nearly Losing His Life During 'Mission: Impossible' Stunt

One of Tom Cruise's earliest Mission Impossible stunts involves his character, Ethan Hunt, blowing up a huge aquarium in the 1996 film. The stunt saw the actor running with 16 gallons of water following behind him. He followed this up in the sequel with his rock climbing stunt, where the actor had only a safety cable to help soften any impact.

In Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, director Brad Bird referred to watching Tom Cruise take on death-defying stunts as “just another day at work." Most noticeable on the set of the 2011 movie, the actor scaled Dubai’s 163-floor Burj Khalifa.

Tom Cruise's love of doing his own stunts has also caused him some issues over the years . When filming Mission: Impossible Fallout, the actor broke two bones in his ankle when leaping between two buildings. The video footage of the accident soon went viral, with many praising him for the lengths he goes to for cinema.