As it turned out, it wasn’t just the audience that got emotional Tom Cruise‘s Maverick reunited with Val Kilmer‘s Iceman in last year’s big hit Top gun: Maverick.
Cruise visited Jimmy KimmelLive! on Friday, where he and host Jimmy Kimmel discussed the film’s phenomenal success, including six Oscar nominations heading into next month’s Academy Awards ceremony. During the conversation, viewers saw an excerpt Top gun: Maverick in which Cruise and Kilmer have a brief exchange.
“I just want to say that was pretty emotional,” Cruise said of filming the scene. “I’ve known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character — he’s such a powerful actor that he immediately became that character again. You’re watching Iceman.’
This prompted Kimmel to ask, “Were you crying when you guys shot that, or was it just me?” After a laugh, Cruise replied sincerely, “I cried. I got emotional. He’s such a brilliant actor and I love his work.”
Kimmel then pointed out that in addition to the emphasis on stunts, the movie has a lot of heart, which led Cruise to confirm, “There are some tears.”
Kilmer, who co-starred with Cruise in the original 1986 hit Top gun, has largely lost the ability to speak due to radiation and chemotherapy treatments for throat cancer. Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced both films, previously told The Hollywood Reporter that Cruise was firm about the sequel, including Kilmer, who is now cancer-free.
“[Tom] said, ‘I’m not making this movie without Val,’” Bruckheimer said at the time. “When we filmed it, it was a very emotional day, having Val there and watching him work with Tom after 35 years.”