Even though it’s been almost three decades since Top Gun was released, Kelly McGillis’ portrayal of Charlie Blackwood is still one of our all-time favorites. As a matter of fact, did you know that McGillis had second thoughts about playing Maverick in Top Gun because of the movie’s potential financial success? Well, sometimes things like that could happen! Regardless, she made up her mind to take part, and she used her unique talents in her performance. Thanks to that and obvious chemistry with Tom Cruise, McGillis became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses.
Kelly McGillis’ Age in Top Gun: How Old Was the Actor?
Kelly McGillis was born on July 9, 1957. In reality, she was only 28 years old when the filming of Top Gun began in 1985. To be fair, the actor’s age shouldn’t be discussed at all because she really looked flawless! However, despite her youthful appearance, McGillis added depth to her role by portraying a wise and sensible character.
The Age Gap Situation
One of the challenges Kelly McGillis had on the set of Top Gun was getting over the large age gap between herself and her co-star, Tom Cruise. McGillis was 28 years old, making her a bit older than Cruise. He was 23.
But as some critics highlighted, the age gap between McGillis and Cruise was pretty much obvious.
McGillis played an older and more experienced woman than she is in real life to bridge the age gap and create chemistry between her and her on-screen love interest. McGillis had to show that she could be capable of anything in an instant. But that’s what we truly appreciate. After all, artistic creativity involves sacrifice.
Are you a Top Gun fan? What do you think about Kelly McGillis’ performance in the movie and the not-so-obvious age gap between her and Tom Cruise?
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.