- “Top Gun” was released in theaters in May 1986.
- The movie starred Tom Cruise as Maverick, Val Kilmer as Iceman, and Kelly McGillis as Charlie.
- Since then, Cruise has become an action star.
- Meg Ryan, who had a minor role in “Top Gun,” gained popularity years later after starring in “When Harry Met Sally.”
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“Top Gun” hit theaters in 1986 and starred Tom Cruise as a skilled naval aviator, nicknamed Maverick, with a “need for speed.”
The film, which took place at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station in San Diego, also starred Val Kilmer and Kelly McGillis.
In the years after the movie came out, the cast members kept busy with plenty of roles in movies and TV shows. Cruise, who’s now an action star, is also going to appear in the upcoming “Top Gun” sequel (in theaters on December 23, 2020).
Here’s what the cast of “Top Gun” has been up to since the movie was released.
Tom Cruise starred as a lieutenant named Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.
Maverick was confident that he was the best in class. He also said the iconic line, "I feel the need ... the need for speed."
Cruise will reprise his "Top Gun" role when the sequel hits theaters in December 2020.
In July 2019, the 57-year-old actor surprised fans at San Diego Comic-Con by stopping by and unveiling the first trailer for the upcoming "Top Gun: Maverick" movie. In December 2019, a new trailer was released, packed with even more action scenes.
Following the success of the first "Top Gun," Cruise starred in the Oscar-winning 1988 movie "Rain Man." He was also in "Born on the Fourth of July" (which earned the actor his first Oscar nomination), "Days of Thunder" (the film that introduced him to Nicole Kidman, who he was married to from 1990 to 2001), and "A Few Good Men."
Cruise's other notable roles in the '90s include the titular part in "Jerry Maguire" and Frank T.J. Mackey in "Magnolia." Both parts earned Cruise Academy Award nominations.
The actor is a bona fide action star, thanks to his role as Ethan Hunt in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise. The first installment was released in 1996 and Cruise pushed his limits in 2018's "Mission: Impossible - Fallout." The actor, who's known for doing his own stunts, ended up breaking his ankle while filming an action sequence for the movie.
Aside from roles in blockbuster movies like the "Mission: Impossible" films and "Jack Reacher," Cruise showed off his musicality in "Rock Ages" and delighted fans with a memorable role as Les Grossman in "Tropic Thunder."
Cruise was previously married to Katie Holmes from 2006 to 2012. The two stars have a daughter named Suri, and Cruise made headlines after publicly proclaiming his love for Holmes during a 2005 appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
Kelly McGillis starred as Charlotte Blackwood (also known as Charlie), an instructor at Topgun.
She had a romantic relationship with Maverick.
In recent years, McGillis has appeared in TV movies, plus several theater credits.
McGillis starred in the 2018 movie "Maternal Secrets" and 2017's "An Uncommon Grace."
She starred in productions of "Twelfth Night," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Macbeth," and "The Little Foxes" between 1989 and 2009.
McGillis has two children from her previous marriage to Fred Tillman. In 2009, she publicly came out as a lesbian and later told People that "it was a difficult journey for me to come to terms and be whole and happy with who I am."
In a 2013 interview with Movie Talk, the actress revealed that she was teaching a studio that was connected to a school in Asheville, North Carolina.
"I feel it is my time to give back and that's something that I know how to do," she said. "And yeah, I live a quiet, little life. I live in a log cabin on top of the hill in North Carolina and it is lovely."
In July 2019, McGillis told "Entertainment Tonight" that she wasn't asked to return for the upcoming "Top Gun" sequel and hasn't kept in touch with the original movie cast.
Val Kilmer's Iceman had a rivalry with Maverick at Topgun.
Iceman, whose real name was Tom Kazansky, was just as competitive as Maverick. By the end of the movie, the two became friends.
Kilmer is also set to return as Iceman in the upcoming "Top Gun" movie.
Following "Top Gun," the actor starred in numerous movies, like "The Doors" and "Heat." Most notably, he portrayed Bruce Wayne/Batman in the 1995 film "Batman Forever."
More recently, he starred in "The Snowman" with Michael Fassbender, "Song to Song" with Ryan Gosling, and "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot."
In 2017, Kilmer confirmed that he battled throat cancer. Later that year, he briefly opened up about the health concern with The Hollywood Reporter. Kilmer, who's a Christian Scientist, told the publication that he went through chemotherapy and relied on his faith during that period of his life.
In April 2020, Kilmer released an autobiography titled "I'm Your Huckleberry."
Kilmer has two children from his past marriage to Joanne Whalley: a daughter named Mercedes and a son named Jack, who also acts.
Anthony Edwards played Nick "Goose" Bradshaw.
He was sent to Topgun with Maverick, his best friend. Goose was killed during an engagement.
Edwards recently starred as Mars Harper on "Designated Survivor."
He also appeared on the "Law & Order True Crime" miniseries, Showtime's "Billions," "Drunk History," and "Girls."
Prior to those roles, he starred as Mark Greene on the long-running drama "ER." Edwards earned four total Golden Globe nominations for the role and took home the award for best performance by an actor in a drama TV series in 1998.
In 2017, Edwards wrote an essay that was published on Medium and said that he was sexually assaulted by producer Gary Goddard. He has since become a board of directors at 1in6, "a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting men who have experienced sexual abuse or assault."
Tom Skerritt portrayed a chief Topgun instructor named Viper.
Viper, whose real name was Mike Metcalf, was previously in an air battle alongside Maverick's father. He told Maverick that his dad died a hero. In revealing that, Viper helped Maverick regain his confidence.
Skerritt will star alongside Mia Sorvino in a movie called "East of the Mountains," based on a novel written by David Guterson.
Skerritt, who has been acting since the '60s, starred as Evan Drake on "Cheers" and Sheriff Jimmy Brock on "Picket Fences." The latter role earned the actor a Primetime Emmy in 1993.
He also guest-starred on shows like "Will & Grace," "The Good Wife," and "Madam Secretary."
Michael Ironside played a Topgun instructor named Rick Heatherly, also known as Jester.
Because of Maverick's reckless behavior, Jester threatened to kick him out of Topgun.
Ironside recently guest-starred on "Hawaii Five-O" and "This Is Us."
He also starred as J.P. Morgan on TNT's "The Alienist," portrayed Captain Cold's father on The CW's "The Flash," and played a captain in "X-Men: First Class."
Tim Robbins starred as Merlin.
He became Maverick's RIO (Radio Intercept Officer) following Goose's death.
Robbins starred as Reginald "Pop" Merrill on season two of Hulu's "Castle Rock."
He also played Greg Boatwright on the HBO show "Here and Now." After "Top Gun," the actor starred in the 1990 movie "Jacob's Ladder" and 1994's "The Shawshank Redemption."
For his supporting role as Dave Boyle in "Mystic River," Robbins won an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
James Tolkan portrayed Tom "Stinger" Jordan.
He was the captain of the Enterprise who reprimanded Maverick for disobeying orders. He reluctantly sent Maverick and Goose to Topgun for five weeks.
Aside from his part in "Top Gun," Tolkan's other notable role was in the "Back to the Future" movies.
He played Stanford S. Strickland the assistant principal at Valley High School in the first "Back to the Future" movie and returned in the sequels.
Meg Ryan played Carole Bradshaw, Goose's wife.
While Goose was playing the piano and singing at a bar, she called him a "big stud" and said, "Take me to bed or lose me forever!"
Ryan still acts, but she's a producer, too.
Ryan's breakout role came in 1989, when she starred as Sally Albright in "When Harry Met Sally." She also starred in movies like "Sleepless in Seattle," "You've Got Mail," and "French Kiss" (which she produced). Ryan also directed the 2015 drama "Ithaca," which she starred in with Jack Quaid and Tom Hanks. Quaid is Ryan's son from her previous marriage to Dennis Quaid.
The actress also has a daughter that she adopted. Ryan was engaged to musician John Mellencamp, but they reportedly split.
