Summary
- The Top Gun: Maverick cast keeps in touch through a group chat, but they purposely exclude Tom Cruise to avoid bothering him with memes.
- Tom Cruise is busy with multiple projects, including Mission: Impossible 7, and has been involved in the SAG-AFTRA strike and negotiations.
- Cruise is seen as a mentor by his co-stars, including Lewis Pullman, and his guidance will be helpful in navigating the recent turmoil in Hollywood.
Even though he’s the lead, the Top Gun: Maverick cast group chat does not include Tom Cruise. Joseph Kosinski’s 2022 film is the sequel to the original Top Gun that was released in 1986 and sees Cruise return as Maverick along with a host of new co-stars, such as Miles Teller (playing Goose’s son), Glen Powell, Jennifer Connelly, and Lewis Pullman (playing the lovable Weapons Systems Operator Bob).
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Pullman shared that his Top Gun: Maverick cast members still keep in touch through a group chat, but with one striking exception: Tom Cruise. According to Pullman, the cast would rather not bother Cruise with “all of [their] memes” considering he has “more important stuff to do.” However, he noted, Cruise will always “take a call at any point if we ever need help.” Along with Pullman’s father (Sleepless in Seattle actor Bill Pullman), he sees Cruise as one of his greatest mentors.
Pullman’s Right – Cruise Has Been Very Busy Lately
While he may not be keeping up with trending memes, Cruise, as Pullman said, is involved with several projects currently. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was released this July and sees Cruise returning as Ethan Hunt in the series’ seventh installment. While the action movie has earned glowing reviews, it has not reached quite the same level of success as Top Gun: Maverick did last summer. The 2022 movie rose to $1.48 billion worldwide.
In addition to Mission: Impossible 7, as with other Hollywood stars, Cruise has participated in the SAG-AFTRA strike and negotiations. While a resolution does not appear to be approaching, Cruise’s substantial experience performing stunts helped provide the labor union some understanding of the responsibilities the workers they represent have from day to day. He also discussed the use of AI within the film industry, a premise a majority of actors are protesting against currently.
Cruise’s character was something of a mentor in Top Gun: Maverick as well, with Maverick guiding the band of elite Navy fighter pilots facing a seemingly unattainable mission. Considering the turmoil in Hollywood as of late, Pullman and his co-stars having a mentor such as Cruise will likely prove to be a valuable tool in navigating the unrest.
Source: Vanity Fair