Why Wasn’t Kelly McGillis In Top Gun 2?

The movie Top Gun: Maverick is already a massive hit just days after it came out. It smashed Memorial Day weekend box office records.

While stars Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprised their respective roles for this sequel to the 1986 classic Top Gun, fans were quick to notice that Kelly McGillis, who played Cruise’s love interest Charlie in the original film, is not in the new one. Now, an interview has surfaced in which McGillis explains exactly why she’s not in Top Gun: Maverick, and what she had to say may surprise you.

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Why Wasn’t Kelly McGillis In Top Gun 2?

When asked in 2019 if she was asked to appear in Top Gun: Maverick, which had already been announced at the time, McGillis could not help but reply with a laugh.

“Oh my god no. They did not, nor do I think they would ever,” she said, according to Consequence. “I mean, I’m old and I’m fat, and I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about.”

However, the then-64-year-old McGillis went on to make it clear that she wasn’t upset about not being asked to appear in the sequel. 

“I’d much rather feel absolutely secure in my skin and who and what I am at my age, as opposed to placing a value on all that other stuff,” she continued. 

Related: Val Kilmer Talks Emotional Return In ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Will McGillis See ‘Top Gun: Maverick?’

McGillis then explained that she left Hollywood years ago to get sober and that she isn’t particularly motivated to see the sequel right away.

“I guess it depends on what kind of reviews it gets,” she said. “I’m not racing to the theater, and I’m not racing away from the theater to see it.”

Given the stellar reviews that Top Gun: Maverick has been getting, McGillis may want to race to the theater as soon as possible! That is, assuming she still has no hard feelings about not being asked to be in the movie.

Check out McGillis’ full comments on this below. 

New Love Interest For Cruise In ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

Cruise’s love interest in the new movie is the character Penny Benjamin, who is mentioned in the first Top Gun, although she never appears onscreen. The Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly plays Penny in Top Gun: Maverick. 

“It started the first time when they were quite young. And you get the sense that they sort of come together, they have this sort of fiery romance, and then it falls apart,” Connelly told FilmIsNow, referring to her and Cruise’s characters. “But then they keep coming back to each other.”

Related: After Losing His Voice To Cancer – Val Kilmer Speaks Again For Top Gun: Maverick

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While fans miss McGillis’ presence in the new movie, it’s nice to see that she appears to have left her Hollywood days in the rearview mirror years ago, and therefore had no interest in being in this film in the first place. Be sure to check out Top Gun: Maverick for yourself at a theater near you to see what all the buzz is about!