‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Star Jennifer Connelly on Love Scenes With Tom Cruise and Learning to Tend Bar

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorThe 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.

came out with guns blazing at the domestic box office on Friday.The sequel, starring Tom Cruise reprising his 1986 role as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell alongside Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm, raked in $51,800,000, according to the IMDB’s Box Office Mojo database.  “The Bob’s Burgers Movie,” which was released on Friday, trailed in second place, earning $5,700,000.

Kenny Loggins is "proud" of his contribution to the original "Top Gun" movie. The singer, 74, shared with Fox News Digital that being able to record two songs for the 1986 action movie was a "real plum" for the musician.  "It was a great period of time for all of us, especially in my life at that time that I got two songs in ‘Top Gun.’ This was a real plum for me, you know?" Kenny Loggins is "proud" of the songs he produced for the 1986 action movie "Top Gun." The iconic song "Danger Zone" will be featured in the movie's sequel "Top Gun: Maverick." (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images) Loggins created "Danger Zone," which is also featured in the movie’s sequel "Top Gun: Maverick." He was not the original person in mind to sing the song written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock.  "I really wasn't supposed to be the guy to record ‘Danger Zone,’" he shared.

Some fans might be sad to see that Kelly McGillis, who played Charlie in the original Top Gun movie, is not in the sequel.

"Top Gun" is back. After a two-year delay, "Top Gun: Maverick" is hitting theaters across the world Friday.The release of the action movie figures to be a big moment for box office recovery during the coronavirus pandemic. The film’s star, Tom Cruise, is expected to have his biggest career opening, with a four-day gross of at least $92 million, per official tracking.

Jon Hamm and his Top Gun co-star Miles Teller may be big names in Hollywood, but even they get a little tongue-tied when they meet members of the royal family.MORE: Prince William reveals George, Charlotte and Louis's reaction to their parents' glitzy Top Gun outingLast week, the actors were introduced to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in London - an encounter that neither stars will forget in a hurry.WATCH: Tom Cruise talks about bond with Prince WilliamAppearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the 51-year-old Mad Men star revealed: "It was black-tie, so we're all in tuxedos. And Prince William had on his tuxedo shoes, embroidered F-18s."MORE: Jennifer Connelly opens up about 'special' moment with Prince William at Top Gun premiereREAD: Inside Kate Middleton's inner circle of close friendsHe added: "Very cool Top Gun tuxedo shoes… that means you made it.

Jennifer Connelly is facing her flying fears. In a recent interview with Good Morning America, the actress, 51, admitted that flying isn't her "favorite" thing to do despite the movie being about airplanes.

Jennifer Connelly looks very stylish while arriving for a few interviews in New York City this week.

Jon Hamm remembers the excitement of the first day on set of "Top Gun: Maverick" with Tom Cruise.  In an interview with TODAY, Hamm, 51, spoke about working with the film’s star in the newly released movie. "I’ll never forget my first day on set, there’s Tom Cruise, and he says 'Hey,' comes up, gives me a big hug and says, 'It’s so good to have you here,’" Hamm shared during the interview. Jonn Hamm remembers his first day on set of "Top Gun: Maverick" with Tom Cruise.

Alexa, play “Take My Breath Away.” While the nostalgia is overwhelming for Top Gun fans in the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, not everything is the same for the title character 30 years after the original film.

The stars of Top Gun: Maverick stepped out in N.Y. and L.A. to support the film at influencer screenings on both coasts!

Val Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, is reflecting on her experience witnessing her father lay down scenes on the set of "Top Gun: Maverick." The 30-year-old actress recalled being present when Kilmer, 62, made his anticipated cameo in the upcoming Tom Cruise flick as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, the arch-nemesis of Cruise’s Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. According to the New York Post, both stars appear together in a scene, reuniting the pair in which Iceman and Maverick Mitchell come face-to-face and each deliver heartwarming performances that marked a culmination for the film franchise.

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].

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.

Prince William “have a lot in common” as Britain's royals joined the Hollywood star on the red carpet in London for the U.K. premiere of the new “Top Gun” movie.William and his wife, Kate, joined Cruise Thursday on a star-studded red carpet at Leicester Square for the premiere of “Top Gun: Maverick,” in which Cruise reprises his role as U.S.

"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.