In Top Gun: Maverick, fans witnessed the powerful on-screen reunion between two iconic characters — Maverick and Iceman. Off-screen, Tom Cruise recalls the moment as equally unforgettable and deeply emotional.
Speaking in a recent Sight and Sound retrospective, Cruise opened up about working with his late co-star Val Kilmer on the 2022 blockbuster, calling the experience “amazing” and “joyous.” Kilmer, who returned as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky for a heartfelt cameo, passed away in April at age 65 following complications from pneumonia. Maverick would ultimately become his final film appearance.
“It was like time had not passed,” Cruise shared, recalling their time together on set. “We were laughing… it was joyous. And then we started acting — and you could just see it. He became Iceman again.”
Despite Kilmer’s vocal limitations due to his previous battle with throat cancer, Cruise said the actor delivered a performance that transcended words.
“The power that this guy has, even without speaking, to become that character — he was Iceman,” Cruise said. “You saw the connection, the friendship, the history between them. It was very special for me. He didn’t even have to speak. That’s the kind of gift he had, and he shared it with all of us.”
The two actors first starred together in the 1986 original Top Gun, but the road to that collaboration wasn’t so simple. Cruise revealed that late director Tony Scott had to convince Kilmer to take the role, as Kilmer was initially hesitant about supporting parts.
“He had to play Iceman in a way where the audience wanted them to be friends in the end,” Cruise explained. “I remember those scenes like they were yesterday — especially the one where he does the bite thing. You know when someone’s just on fire during a scene? It’s exhilarating. He was only in the original Top Gun for maybe ten minutes, but that’s the kind of impact an artist like Val had.”
As fans continue to revisit Kilmer’s greatest hits — from Batman Forever to The Doors — his final bow in Top Gun: Maverick stands as a moving tribute to both his talent and his enduring legacy.
