Jennifer Connelly on Top Gun: Maverick: I was immensely flattered and excited

Actor Jennifer Connelly says she had nostalgic memories of watching Tom Cruise in 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, but she never thought she would be invited to be a part of the iconic film’s sequel over three decades later. Top Gun: Maverick brings back Cruise as the US aviator Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and also features Connelly among the new set of characters.
Recalling her memories of watching the original film, Connelly said what stayed with her were the scenes of F-14 fighter jets flying in the desert and Cruise in his uniform.
“The flying blew me away in Top Gun. And another thing that really stood out was just Tom Cruise in that jacket and on the motorcycle. It was iconic, it has nostalgic memories,” the 51-year-old actor said.
Maverick is set over thirty years after the events of the first film and sees Maverick returning to the Top Gun institute and training a group of graduates, including Rooster, the son of his late wingman Goose, for a specialised mission.
Kelly McGills featured in the Tony Scott-directed original and her on-screen chemistry with Cruise was one of the highlights of the film. McGills, however, is not returning for the sequel and the makers decided to cast Connelly in a new role opposite Cruise.
Connelly said she owes the opportunity to feature in the sequel to director Joseph Kosinski, who had earlier worked with her for his 2017 movie Only the Brave.
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“I had worked with Joe before on a movie called ‘Only The Brave’. And I liked Joe very much and he called me (for this movie). I was excited that he wanted to work with me again. And then he told me it was about ‘Top Gun’ and I was immensely flattered and excited.
“I had never met Tom Cruise before. Just meeting him was exciting for me and working with him was really a great experience,” the actor said.