Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock 39 years afterTop Gunhit theaters on May 16, 2025, the action movie is still regarded as a classic. StarringTom Cruiseas Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, he clashes with the other fighter pilots at Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, including Iceman, who was played byVal Kilmer. With plenty of action and a love story between Maverick and Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly McGillis), a flight instructor, the movie is still beloved by fans today. The highly anticipated and commercially successful sequel,Top Gun: Maverick, hit theaters in May 2020,with original stars Cruise and Kilmer back in the mix. New faces suiting up for the wild flight includedMiles Teller,Glen Powell,Jon HammandJennifer Connelly. Not only did the new film "Take My Breath Away" and send viewers on a "Highway to the Danger Zone" (though, let's be real ... we needed someone to "Hold My Hand" through it), fans certainly haven't lost their love for the flick where it all began. Here, take a look back at the iconic 1986 film's cast then and now, 39 years afterTop Gun's theatrical release. Tom Cruise has been a Hollywood high-flyer since his film debut inEndless Love(1981). Just a few years later, Cruise went on to star in some of the biggest films of the '80s:Top Gun(1986),The Color of Money(1986), Rain Man(1988) andBorn on the Fourth of July(1989). The actor continued his extremely successful career withInterview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles(1994),Mission: Impossible(1996) andJerry Maguire(1996). Over his long career in Hollywood, Cruise has had four Oscar and eight Golden Globe nominations (with three Globes to his name so far). Cruise has been the star of theMission: Impossibleseries for decades, and has ledThe Mummy(2017) andAmerican Made(2017). Most recently, he starred inMission Impossible: The Final Reckoning,which will be released on May 23, 2025. Before "Iceman" competed against "Maverick" inTop Gunin 1986, Kilmer first got his start in the 1984 spoof filmTop Secret. His breakthrough performance was his role as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone'sThe Doors(1991). After that, he portrayed other stars like Elvis Presley inTrue Romance(1993) and Doc Holliday inTombstone(1993). He also took on the role of Batman inBatman Forever(2005) and starred inKiss Kiss Bang Bang(2005). Kilmer was also on the TV seriesThe Spoils of Babylon(2014), and was inThe Snowman(2017) andThe Super(2017). TheTop Gunsequel was Kilmer's first major rolesince his recovery from throat cancer. He died at the age of 65 onApril 1, 2025, with his cause of death later determined to be pneumonia. Kelly McGillisfirst appeared on-screen with a supporting role in the Oscar-nominatedReuben(1983). After picking up numerous TV roles, the actress then starred alongside Harrison Ford inWitness(1985), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. The actress went on to appear inThe Accused(1988) and was cast in several TV movies such asBonds of Love(1993) andIn the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness(1994). During the mid to late 1980s, McGillis pursued roles on the stage, playing various roles in Shakespeare plays, includingThe Merchant of VeniceandTwelfth Night. This eventually led to her star role in the Broadway production ofHedda Gablerin 1994. Following the birth of her children, McGillis took a step back from Hollywood for about a decade,eventually opening up about surviving sexual assault and addiction as well as coming out as a lesbian in 2009. She has been seen on TV inDirty John(2020) andMaternal Secrets(2017),but did not return for theTop Gunsequel. Before his role as "Goose" inTop Gun,Anthony Edwardsfirst appeared in a small role inFast Times at Ridgemont High(1982) after dropping out of college to pursue an acting career. His first starring role was inRevenge of the Nerds(1984); he then went on to star inThe Sure Thing(1985) andGotcha!(1985) before landingTop Gunthe next year. The actor continued to work on-screen in the filmHow I Got Into College(1989) and TV seriesNorthern Exposure(1990). Years later, Edwards landed his most widely known recurring role as Dr. Mark Greene in the TV seriesER(1994–2008). The actor was nominated four times for a Golden Globe for the show, one of which he won in 1998. In 2022, the actor appeared in the Apple TV+ miniseriesWeCrashedand Netflix'sInventing Anna. Tom Skerritt got his start in 1962 in the movieWar Hunt. BeforeTop Gun, he spent most of his years starring on TV, becoming a recurring character on shows such asGunsmokeand12 O'Clock High. The actor was seen in the '80s onCheersfor a six-episode run from 1987 to 1988 and inSteel Magnolias(1989), and has continued to act on shows includingThe Grid(2004),Brothers & Sisters(2006–2009) andThe Good Wife(2014). The actor came back to the big screen and was seen in filmsLucky(2017) andDay of Days(2017). Before the actress took the rom-com world by storm, Meg Ryan started with a minor role as Candice Bergen's daughter inRich and Famous(1981). She then landed a small part inTop Gun,which led her to more major appearances. In 1987, Ryan was cast alongside Dennis Quaid inInnerspace, and again with Quaid in the remake ofD.O.A.(1988). The two stars were married from 1991 to 2001. The actress then starred inWhen Harry Met Sally(1989), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe. Ryan was nominated another two times for her roles inSleepless in Seattle(1933) andYou've Got Mail(1998). She has been seen on TV inWeb Therapy(2013) and the TV movieFan Girl(2014), and returned to herromantic comedy rootswith the 2023 movieWhat Happens Later. Read the original article onPeople
