'Top Gun: Maverick': Behind the Scenes of the Long-Awaited Sequel With Tom Cruise (Exclusive)

Jay Ellis is flying high on the success of his new role in, but even he'll admit that getting to meet Prince William and Kate Middleton at the recent royal premiere of the film in London left him feeling a little insecure!«It was absolutely insane,» Ellis raved to ET's Rachel Smith as the pair met up in Times Square to check out the new billboards and surprise some lucky fans with tickets to the film.«They tell you all these [rules of etiquette] like, all these things that you have to do,» he shared of meeting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. «They speak to you first, you reach out your hand… 'Your royal highness, nice to meet you.»«And then the first question you ask is like, 'So, um, how are you?'» he continued with a laugh. «No one knew what to say. It was crazy — what do you ask them?»Thinking fast, Ellis recalled that he asked Prince William about the types of aircraft he'd flown in his time with the Royal Air Force.

Tom Cruise has revealed that he doesn’t take days off because his career means he’s constantly “living the dream”.The actor is currently promoting his latest film, Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 action classic, in which he reprises his role as fighter pilot Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He is also a producer on the blockbuster.Speaking in a new interview, Cruise said his active career means he doesn’t take any time off, but he doesn’t mind being as busy as he is because he’s “living the dream” when he’s working.“This is a day off for me, because I am not shooting,” Cruise told Bella magazine (via Contact Music), after being asked what he likes to do when he has a day off.

Tom Cruise has revealed that before he became famous he wanted to be either a pilot or an actor.The Hollywood star is currently promoting his latest film, Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 action classic, in which he reprises his role as fighter pilot Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He is also a producer on the blockbuster.Speaking in a new interview, Cruise said he had always dreamt of being a pilot or an actor growing up, and when he was able to combine both careers in the original Top Gun, it was a “life-changing” moment for him.“All I ever wanted to be was a pilot or an actor, so Top Gun was a huge moment in so many respects, including my passion for aviation,” he told HELLO! magazine (via Contact Music). “It was life-changing for me.”He continued: “I got to actually fly in an F-14 jet which was a dream come true, and play a character I loved in Maverick.”Cruise then went on to explain that for Top Gun: Maverick he got to do more plane stunts than ever before.“The P-51 Mustang you see in the movie is actually my plane, so I got to pilot in those sequences, he said. “I also got to be in the jet fighter a lot more this time, which was thrilling. It was something I had been working up to.”Meanwhile, Twenty One Pilots singer Tyler Joseph has claimed that he was asked to write a song for the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack before Tom Cruise rescinded the offer.“I was working with the music placement person for the new Top Gun on writing a new song for them and then I believe Tom Cruise just came in and just fired everyone,” Joseph told Californian radio station KROQ [via MusicNews].

Tom Cruise set out to make the follow-up film to his beloved 1986 hit,  he knew the success of the story would hinge on not only the storyline and motivations of his character, Pete «Maverick» Mitchell, but in the squadron of young, up-and-coming Navy pilots Maverick is tasked with leading through their near-impossible mission.«We had to find not only the actors that are correct for the roles, or just a great cast, which we have in there — each one of them are extraordinary, charismatic, each one very distinct,» Cruise said in an exclusive ET featurette from the set of the film. «We also, prior to [filming], I had to go look.

Carol Vorderman didn't follow her fellow guests at the Top Gun premiere on Thursday night as she ditched the usual glitzy gowns for a khaki green flight suit in homage to the film.

Tom Cruise gave Prince William an early peek at . ET's Rachel Smith spoke with the 59-year-old actor at the U.K. premiere of his latest film, and Cruise confirmed reports that the Duke of Cambridge was treated to an early screening of the long-awaited sequel to the 1986 flick.«Yes, early on,» Tom confirmed of the early royal screening, which he reportedly arranged after learning that William, a trained helicopter pilot who served in the Royal Air Force, was a big fan of the original movie.«He's an aviator, so I knew he'd have a lot of fun,» Tom said of William.While Tom said that he and William have yet to fly together, he didn't rule out the possibility of doing so in the future.

Tom Cruise had a special lady in attendance at the U.K. premiere of . On Thursday, Hayley Atwell, 40, attended the event, which was held at London's Leicester Square.Atwell, who's set to co-star alongside Cruise in the 2023 flick, , stunned in an all-black look, which featured a long sleeve crop top and a maxi skirt with a thigh-high slit.Meanwhile, 59-year-old Cruise, who was photographed greeting Prince William and Kate Middleton at the premiere, looked dapper in a classic tuxedo and bow tie.  Along with being co-stars, Cruise and Atwell, who attended Wimbledon together last July, are rumored to have dated.

The pilots of “Top Gun: Maverick” are ready to take flight.

Tom Cruise as Pete «Maverick» Mitchell and features a special return from Val Kilmer as now-Admiral Tom «Iceman» Kazansky -- doesn't feature any appearances from the female stars of the 1986 original: Kelly McGillis and Meg Ryan.Ryan's character, Carole, the wife of Maverick's late wingman and best friend Nick «Goose» Bradshaw (played by Anthony Edwards) and mother to Miles Teller's Bradley «Rooster» Bradshaw, is referenced in the sequel and seen in flashback scenes. However, there isn't even a mention of McGillis' Charlie Blackwood, a Top Gun instructor and Maverick's love interested in the original.«Those weren't stories that we were throwing around,» Maverick director Joseph Kosinski told Insider of the actresses' absences.

“Top Gun: Maverick” are in, and it sure sounds like the sequel to Tom Cruise’s iconic, macho-driven 1986 film is destined to be one of the most acclaimed blockbusters of the year.The follow-up finds Cruise reprising his role as Maverick to lead a new group of young pilots, which includes Goose’s son, “Rooster,” played by Miles Teller. Cruise’s “Oblivion” director Joseph Kosinski is behind the camera and his “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie is onboard as a co-writer and producer, and together it appears this team has actually made a sequel that’s better than the original.In his review at IndieWire, David Ehrlich hailed the film as a kind of thesis statement for Cruise’s movie stardom: “If ‘Top Gun’ was a fun film because it invented Tom Cruise, ‘Maverick’ is a great film because it immortalizes him.

"Top Gun: Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski shared that bringing back the female characters played by Meg Ryan and Kelly McGillis was never considered for the 2022 sequel.  During an interview with Insider, Kosinski said, "Those weren't stories that we were throwing around." Ryan, 60, played the character of Goose’s wife Carole Bradshaw in the 1986 movie, and McGillis, 64, played Top Gun instructor Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood.  Meg Ryan and Kelly McGillis were never asked to return in the 2022 sequel "Top Gun: Maverick." (Getty Images) According to Kosinski, the filmmakers wanted to take "Top Gun: Maverick" in a different direction. "I didn't want every storyline to always be looking backwards," Kosinski shared.

Singer Tyler Joseph of 21 Pilots revealed the band was supposed to write music for the soundtrack of "Top Gun: Maverick." Joseph claimed the project came to a halt when Tom Cruise "fired everyone." "You know, I was working with the – I don't know if I'm even supposed to say this, whatever – I was working with the music placement person for the new ‘Top Gun’ on writing a new song for them," Joseph told radio station KROQ.  "And then I believe Tom Cruise came in and just fired everyone." 21 Pilots singer Tyler Joseph recently revealed he was supposed to write music for "Top Gun: Maverick" but was "fired" by Tom Cruise. Joseph noted there were a few "overhauls" throughout filming saying, "The trailer has been out for like three years, so there's been a few overhauls, and I was a part of that.They moved on." "Top Gun: Maverick" will premiere on May 24 after delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lady Gaga fans, rejoice! The «Poker Face» singer has just dropped the music video for her  ballad, «Hold My Hand,» and — grab those tissues because — it's a tearjerker!The 36-year-old singer's music video features scenes from the upcoming film as well as emotional scenes from the original 1986 flick. Gaga, at first, sits under one of the iconic planes featured in the film and pours her heart out as flash scenes show Tom Cruise -- aka Captain Pete «Maverick» Mitchell — reminisces about his late friend, Nick Bradshaw, better known as «Goose.» The music video was directed by the film's director, Joseph Kosinski.The release comes just days after Gaga teased the song on her social media.

Tom Cruise landed at the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in style, jetting to the California event in a helicopter. Tom, 59, made quite the entrance when he arrived at the San Diego premiere of the highly-anticipated film to greet his co-stars. After disembarking the French Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil, the Hollywood star waved to a raft of his fans that recorded and cheered as he stepped out of the chopper.Tom has reprised the character of Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell for a hotly-anticipated sequel to the 1896 classic.

Tom Cruise is finally going to see soar into theaters, after years of planning, prepping, shooting and eventual delays. The celebrated movie star says the pressure is something he anticipated and is excited about.Cruise arrived via helicopter to the red carpet premiere of the long-awaited sequel on Wednesday — held on the deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier in San Diego, California — and spoke with ET's Nischelle Turner about basking in the joy of the experience.«This is quite a moment.

Tom Cruise made an epic landing onto the red carpet at the  world premiere in San Diego Wednesday. The movie star arrived on the deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier via a helicopter.Cruise stepped out of the chopper, which read «Tom Cruise. ,» on it and approached the droves of waiting photographers, reporters and fans, all itching to see the actor make his return as Lt.

Tom Cruise made an epic landing onto the red carpet at the  world premiere in San Diego Wednesday. The movie star arrived at the USS Midway Museum via a helicopter — which he was fittingly the pilot of.Cruise stepped out of the chopper, which read «Tom Cruise. ,» on it and approached the droves of waiting photographers, reporters and fans, all itching to see the actor make his return as Lt.

Jennifer Connelly's experience shooting was filled with some high-flying adventure — even if she didn't initially know it was going to be.ET's Nischelle Turner sat down with Connelly during a press event on Tuesday, on board the famed USS Midway aircraft carrier, and the celebrated actress recalled how co-star Tom Cruise took her on a totally unexpected aerial thrill ride.«Originally, I wasn't supposed to fly in the movie, because my character is not an aviator,» explained Connelly, 51, who played Penny Benjamin, a single mother, bar owner and love interest to Cruise' titular Pete «Maverick» Mitchell. «So I had no scenes, no scripted scenes, in an airplane.»However, things changed when Connelly was «in the plane with him shooting a scene» that was originally supposed to take place on the tarmac.«He said, 'So Jen, have you ever been in a P51 before?' And I said, 'No, I haven't. It just hasn't come up for me.' And he said, 'Have you ever done any aerobatic flying at all?' And I said, 'No, why? Is this going somewhere?'» Connelly recalled with a laugh. «He said, 'Well, it's just going to be very gentle, we're gonna do some gentle rolls,' and so that's how he broke it to be that we're going to be flying in that plane.»«But it was really the most extraordinary experience,» she added.