Formula One legend Lewis Hamilton recently disclosed that Tom Cruise approached him to play a fighter pilot in the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. However, Hamilton ultimately passed on the coveted role due to his demanding F1 schedule.
Top Gun: Maverick became a global phenomenon as the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise’s career. The action blockbuster sequel earned over $1.4 billion at the box office as Cruise’s epic return to his role as hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell captivated audiences 36 years after the original was released.
Why Did Lewis Hamilton Have to Decline Top Gun 2 Role?
According to Daily Star, Lewis Hamilton and Tom Cruise struck up a friendship after the Mission Impossible star invited the British racing champion to visit the set of Edge of Tomorrow years ago.
“One of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. He invited me to his set when he was doing Edge of Tomorrow, and then we just built a friendship over time,” Hamilton told.
When Hamilton learned a Top Gun sequel was in the works, he asked Cruise directly about getting involved. Cruise went above and beyond, offering Hamilton an on-screen role as a fighter pilot.
“I said ‘I don’t care what role it is. I’ll even sweep something, be a cleaner in the back’,” Hamilton recalled. “He [Cruise] said, ‘No, I want you to be a pilot’.”
Although starring in the Top Gun franchise represented a dream opportunity for Hamilton, he regretfully turned down the role due to his Formula One racing duties.
“I’m a perfectionist. There just wasn’t time,” Hamilton explained.
The intense preparation and travel required to compete in the Formula One Grand Prix series made the significant time commitment to act in Top Gun 2 impossible for Hamilton.
Will Lewis Hamilton Pursue Any Future Acting Roles?
While Top Gun: Maverick ultimately didn’t align with Hamilton’s demanding schedule, he isn’t ruling out appearing on the big screen down the line. Hamilton has signed on as a producer for an upcoming Formula One film starring Brad Pitt that will also be directed by Top Gun 2’s Joseph Kosinski.
For now, Hamilton’s main focus remains on Formula One racing. Despite dominating the sport for years, his passion for driving hasn’t wavered.
“I’m still on the mission, I’m still loving driving, I’m still being challenged by it. So I don’t really feel like I have to give it up anytime soon,” Hamilton declared.
While Hamilton’s fans may be disappointed he couldn’t fly with Tom Cruise in Top Gun 2, they’ll still get to see aspects of his fast-paced racing world come to life in the forthcoming F1 feature starring Brad Pitt.
While fans eagerly await seeing aspects of Hamilton’s world showcased in the upcoming F1 film, Top Gun: Maverick continues breaking records and capturing imaginations as a legacy sequel decades in the making. The film dominated the 2023 award season as well, scoring key Oscar nominations including Best Picture. One can only imagine the adrenaline rush Hamilton might have felt shooting aerial fight sequences alongside Tom Cruise.
