Kelly McGillis of 'Top Gun' explains why exactly she walked away from Hollywood — get the details to learn what the actress said! Article content. 'I would gasp suddenly without being able to control it. Age may be playing a role in McGillis' new fuller figure as the ensemble revealed a more robust version of the Golden Globe winner. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. The actress, who starred as Tom Cruise’s girlfriend in the 1986 original, says she feels "absolutely secure in my skin." The 356 is one of the world's most sought after classic cars. But living out of the spotlight with her two daughters after a move to Pennsylvania in 2002 proved rewarding. ', Big break: Two years later, she got her big break in Peter Weir’s dramatic thriller Witness where she played an Amish widow opposite Harrison Ford, 'When the project was finished, it was like a demon had been put to rest, but still I was struggling with publicly telling my story because I was afraid.'. Her personal life was taking a toll as well as she eventually had to deal with her closeted homosexuality and drug addiction. Kelly McGillis knows exactly why she isn't in the upcoming sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. Acting chops: McGillis then won critical acclaim as a lawyer defending a rape victim played by Jodie Foster, who took home a Best Actress Oscar, in 1988's The Accused. That would be Kelly McGillis, who played Maverick’s love interest. McGillis, at age 62, is only three years older than Kilmer, yet Kilmer was asked to return, and McGillis wasn’t even offered a cameo. She has English, Welsh, Scots-Irish, and German ancestry. A 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster. that she is single but no longer searching for a … But the Winter People star seemed to be happy and healthy after essentially leaving Hollywood for the low-key rural lifestyle. She played Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, an astrophysicist and instructor, who falls for Tom Cruise's Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell. Now McGillis dips her toes in acting roles intermittently with parts in the Showtime drama The L-Word and the vampire flick Stake Land. (Photo: Paramount Pictures/Archive Photos/Getty Images) We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! Kelly McGillis was 27 in Top Gun when she played the character 'Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood'. She has appeared in several films since the 1980s including: her role as Rachel Lapp in Witness (1985) with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations, the role of Charlie in the Top Gun (1986) with Tom Cruise, and the role of attorney Kathryn Murphy in The Accused (1988). Apart from cutting her long and beautiful golden curls, she started wearing thick glasses. The 1986 release of Top Gun placed actress Kelly McGillis firmly in the '80s the pop culture zeitgeist. Having survived a similar experience to Foster's character, McGillis felt compelled to share her story of being raped by two strangers when the movie was released. And she didn’t mince words explaining why she thinks that is. The 62-year-old, who played Tom Cruise’s love interest in the 1986 original, will not be part of the highly anticipated sequel, which features Jennifer Connelly as the female lead – and Kelly is convinced it’s because she doesn’t look like she did … McGillis didn’t appear to feel slighted by the snub. Kelly McGillis Says She's 'Old,' 'Fat' And OK Being Left Out Of 'Top Gun' Sequel. The actor, who rose to fame as Charlie—Tom Cruise’s love interest in Top Gun… Tom Cruise feels the need... 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I twitched incessantly,” McGillis told People in 1988. The 62-year-old is best known for playing Tom Cruise character Maverick’s love interest Charlie Blackwood in 1986’s Top Gun. Back in 1983, McGillis made her movie debut in the comedy-drama Reuben, Reuben after graduating from the famed Juilliard School. The comments below have not been moderated. Asked by “Entertainment Tonight” recently if the makers of the “Top Gun” sequel offered her a part, McGillis, 62, replied, “Oh my god no. How old is Kelly McGillis? Actress Kelly Mcgillis insists her age and appearance cost her a comeback role in Top Gun: Maverick. It also appeared in the film, "48 Hours" and "Another 48 Hours." Kelly McGillis is an American actress. “I’d much rather feel absolutely secure in my skin and who and what I am at my age, as opposed to placing a value on all that other stuff,” McGillis told “ET.”. However, McGillis has … The 62-year-old … Top Gun actress Kelly McGillis says she wasn't asked to return for the upcoming sequel, Top Gun: Maverick - and she didn't expect to be. Kelly McGillis, 62, says she is 'too old and fat' for Top Gun sequel with Tom Cruise: 'I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about' The Simpsons to recast the role of Dr. Hibbert from Harry Shearer to black actor Kevin Michael Richardson. She attended the prestigious Juilliard School … Revealing that she was not asked to return for the upcoming movie, the 62-year-old actress told ET: "Oh god no. Tom Cruise calls Top Gun: Maverick 'a love letter to... Top Gun Maverick trailer is here! Kelly McGillis played Tom Cruise's love interest in the 1986 original, but won't appear in the Top Gun sequel. In a recent interview, Kelly McGillis got surprisingly blunt about her departure from mainstream Hollywood. Kelly Ann McGillis was born in Newport Beach, California, in 1957 - making her 60. Kelly McGillis, who played Tom Cruise’s love interest in the original “Top Gun” movie, said she was not asked to return for the upcoming “Top Gun: Maverick” sequel. Aging gracefully: Age may be playing a role in McGillis' new fuller figure as the ensemble revealed a more robust version of the Golden Globe winner, Happy and healthy: But the Winter People star seemed to be happy and healthy after essentially leaving Hollywood for the low-key rural lifestyle, Her story: Back in 1983, McGillis made her movie debut in the comedy-drama Reuben, Reuben after graduating from famed Juilliard School. And the 62-year-old looked unrecognizable from her days as a silver screen siren where she showcased her good looks and famous physique in such iconic films as 1985's Witness and 1986's Top Gun. It’s … The 62-year-old actress, who starred as the female lead in “Top Gun,” was curiously absent from the new trailer for the upcoming sequel. Two years later, she got her big break in Peter Weir’s dramatic thriller Witness where she played an Amish widow opposite Harrison Ford. The following year, Top Gun made her a household name. They did not, nor do I think they would ever. Kelly McGillis played the flight instructor in the hit blockbuster that defined a generation, with her character falling in love with cheeky and brave fighter pilot Maverick. She has English, Welsh, Scots-Irish, and German ancestry. By Ron Dicker. The 62-year-old actress told “Entertainment Tonight” that she was not invited to participate in the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster in which … And the 62-year-old actress has a hunch about that. “Top Gun: Maverick” also brings back Val Kilmer, 59, as Maverick’s rival Iceman. Tom Cruise Returns To The Danger Zone In First 'Top Gun: Maverick' Trailer, 'Top Gun: Maverick' Release Delayed By Almost A Year, Tom Cruise's Impassioned Twitter Plea May Solve A Common Problem. Prince Philip begins his eighth day in hospital after being admitted for 'a few days' of 'observation and... Two VERY different royal garden photoshoots: Princess Eugenie's 'organic, unedited snap' is worlds apart... Meghan's VERY expensive taste! Rare outing: Kelly McGillis, 62, made a rare public appearance in North Carolina on Thursday. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. I’m old and I’m fat, and I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about.”. Today she is 63, and has starred in 40 movies in total, 35 since Top Gun was released. Rare outing: Kelly McGillis, 62, made a rare public appearance in North Carolina on Thursday Trailer for Top Gun starring Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis Age may be playing a … Kelly Ann McGillis was born in Newport Beach, California, to Virginia Joan (Snell), a homemaker, and Donald Manson McGillis, a general practitioner of medicine. How old was Kelly McGillis in Top Gun? In Tony Scott's original 1986 movie McGillis played Charlie Blackwood, a civilian instructor at the fighter pilot training school where Lieutenant Pete "Maverick Mitchell" is training. Today is National Voter Registration Day! The movie grossed $356 million against a production budget of only $15 million. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. KELLY MCGILLIS ON BEING REPLACED FOR "TOP GUN: MAVERICK" Nowadays, Kelly McGillis is 62 years old, and she looks completely different from the Charlie that most of us remember from "Top Gun." McGillis said she’s not feeling the need for speed to go watch “Top Gun: Maverick,” scheduled to open in 2020. 'The first few weeks after the incident I couldn’t eat or sleep. Kelly McGillis Says She's 'Old,' 'Fat' And OK Being Left Out Of 'Top Gun' Sequel, The actress, who starred as Tom Cruise’s girlfriend in the 1986 original, says she feels "absolutely secure in my skin. Kelly McGillis’ Charlie Blackwood pushed Maverick’s heartbeat into the danger zone in Top Gun, but don’t expect the 62-year old actress to parachute her way into the film’s sequel. Jennifer Connelly has been cast as the new movie’s love interest of Maverick, played by Cruise, 57. Kelly Ann McGillis was born in Newport Beach, California, to Virginia Joan (Snell), a homemaker, and Donald Manson McGillis, a general practitioner of medicine. McGillis dropped out of high school to pursue a career as an actress, and attended Juilliard in Manhattan and Pacific … After The Accused, McGillis floundered between critically panned movies like North and smaller roles in television movies. Kelly McGillis, the bombshell love interest of Maverick in the original 'Top Gun' movie in 1986, recently opened up in an interview about why she is not involved in the upcoming sequel to the Tom Cruise-starrer classic. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Kelly McGillis, who memorably played love-interest Charlie opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun, doesn’t seem to mind that she’s not involved in … ... 57, to hire the 62-year-old McGillis for the film (in … In the original Top Gun, released in 1986 and directed by Tony Scott, McGillis portrayed the role of Charlie, the bombshell love interest of Maverick, played by Tom Cruise. Need for speed: Meanwhile, fans of the original Top Gun are looking forward to the sequel Top Gun: Maverick, which will open in 2020. McGillis played Tom Cruise’s love interest, astrophysicist and training school instructor Charlie Blackwood in the 1986 original about cocky Navy fighter pilots. ©2021 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Cruise returns as the hot shot pilot while he is joined by Val Kilmer, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, and Miles Teller. McGillis then won critical acclaim as a lawyer defending a rape victim played by Jodie Foster, who took home a Best Actress Oscar, in 1988's The Accused. That was over 34 years ago in 1986. Published: 15:30 EST, 25 July 2019 | Updated: 14:03 EST, 26 July 2019. Though her "Top Gun" co-stars may have a "need for speed" in the 1986 film, Kelly McGillis said she wants something a little slower.. Big break: She played Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, an astrophysicist and instructor, who falls for Tom Cruise's Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in 1986's Top Gun, Worlds apart: She looked different from her days as a silver screen siren; (1986's Top Gun right), Casual chic: The Golden Globe winner cut a casual figure in her breezy ensemble. 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