How old was Kelly McGillis in Top Gun?

As they contrast current photos of the celebrity with vintage images, fans are interested as to how old Kelly McGillis was in the 80s classic.

Despite being one of the most eagerly awaited movies of the summer, McGillis did not return to play Tom Cruise’s love interest in the 2022 version.

The actress gained headlines this week despite not being in the newest Top Gun movie after a comparison photo of her and Cruise circulated online.

Some have questioned how old Kelly McGillis was in Top Gun after seeing the photo of the two actors from 1986 and this year.

Who is Kelly McGillis?

Kelly Ann McGillis is a theater and movie actress from the United States. She is well-known for her parts in movies like Rachel Lapp in Witness, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, Charlie in Top Gun, Made in Heaven, The House on Carroll Street, and Kathryn Murphy in The Accused.

Why is Kelly McGillis not in Top Gun: Maverick with Tom Cruise?

Kelly McGillis rose to fame by portraying the flight instructor in Top Gun who falls for Tom Cruise. But what happened to actress Kelly McGillis because she doesn’t appear in the sequel released more than 30 years later?

In the sequel, Tom Cruise’s Pete “Maverick” Mitchell returns to train younger Top Gun graduates for an unique mission, including his late best buddy Goose’s son, Rooster (Miles Teller). Goose Bradshaw, who Anthony Edwards played in 1986, and his wife Carole Bradshaw, played by Meg Ryan, are seen in flashbacks in the 2022 film.

But Ryan wasn’t the only performer who didn’t get a second chance for Top Gun: Maverick. The second film doesn’t feature Kelly McGillis, who played Maverick’s love interest, Charlie, in Top Gun. Instead, Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly), who is mentioned in the original movie as the admiral’s daughter having a history with Maverick but is not really shown, is reconnected with in the pilot.

McGillis said to Entertainment Tonight in 2019 (during the filming of Top Gun: Maverick) that her advancing age was the reason she wasn’t asked back, but director Joseph Kosinski told Insider that McGillis and Ryan aren’t in the sequel because their roles would affect the new stories.