Val Kilmer celebrates 'perfect' Top Gun: Maverick cast for EW's 2022 Entertainers of the Year
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
After 36 years, Tom Cruise returned to theaters as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell this summer in Top Gun: Maverick. While anticipation was high, the sequel soared beyond most expectations, becoming the top-grossing movie of 2022 both domestically and globally as of this publish date. The action flick won over audiences and critics (the film was just awarded Best Film by the National Board of Review and won a spot on the AFI Awards' prestigious Movies of the Year list) — thanks in large part to Cruise and his stellar supporting cast.
To honor the cast as one of EW's 2022 Entertainers of the Year, Val Kilmer — who reprised his Top Gun role, Iceman, in Maverick — pays tribute to his costars Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Monica Barbaro, Danny Ramirez, Greg Tarzan Davis, Lewis Pullman, Jon Hamm, and more.
Getty Images From top left: 'Top Gun' stars Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Monica Barbaro, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, and Tom Cruise; (inset) Val Kilmer
When I heard Tom Cruise wanted to develop a Top Gun sequel, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. So when Tom called me, I said yes immediately.
Making that first film, we were all so young, but even then there was a special bond between us all. After shooting, we would laugh and dance the night away. Coming back to work with Tom more than 30 years later, it was like no time had passed at all. He's the consummate professional, and his zest and energy for filmmaking are infectious. Being next to him instantly makes you better. That said, we blew a lot of takes laughing so much. It was really fun — really special.
And when the movie was released this summer, the response was just amazing! I was particularly thrilled and humbled by the audience's reaction to my scene with Tom. But, to be honest, with Tom, [director] Joseph Kosinski, and [executive producer] Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm, there was no doubt the film would be a smash. It was such an immense honor to work with all of them. On top of that, the addition of the new ensemble cast was perfect. It made for a very engaging story to have the young guns led by the veterans… pun intended.
More EW Entertainers of the Year 2022:
