NEWSTom Cruise Got 'Emotional' Over Val Kilmer Reunion During 'Top Gun 2': 'I Was Crying'
Tom Cruise told Jimmy Kimmel that he 'cried' when he reunited with Val Kilmer on the set of 'Top Gun: Maverick.'
April 2 2025, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in February 2023, Tom Cruise opened up about reuniting with Top Gun costar Val Kilmer to film what would be their last movie together.
Cruise and Kilmer, who starred in the 1986 flick, both revived their roles for its 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, something that made the Jerry Maguire lead emotional.
Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprised their roles in the 'Top Gun' sequel.
In discussing his reunion with Kilmer — who died from pneumonia on Tuesday, April 1 — Cruise told Kimmel he was proud to have his friend back in action.
"For him to come back and play that character… he's such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again. You're looking at Iceman," Cruise said.
Tom Cruise admitted he 'cried' when he reunited with Val Kilmer for 'Top Gun: Maverick.'
Cruise admitted to Kimmel he couldn’t hold back his tears as he saw his friend of 20 years thrive in the role.
“I just want to say that was pretty emotional. I've known Val for decades," Cruise recalled. “I was crying, I was crying. I got emotional. He's such a brilliant actor, I love his work."
During a Top Gun: Maverick premiere in May 2022, Cruise told Entertainment Tonight he “rallied hard” for Kilmer’s role in the first film.
Val Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.
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He also praised one of the sequel’s most memorable scenes, where Kilmer’s character Kazansky was dying of throat cancer. “The kind of talent that he has, and you see that scene, it's very special. It's just very special,” Cruise told the outlet.
During the iconic scene, Kazansky wants to meet with Maverick, played by Cruise, one last time. As they speak, Kazansky tells Maverick, “It’s time to let go.”
The 'Top Gun: Maverick' director recalled both Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer 'crying' during their last scene together.
Kilmer, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, underwent two tracheostomies and later recovered from his diagnosis — making the Top Gun: Maverick scene even more compelling.
The film’s director, Joseph Kosinski, told the Los Angeles Times in 2022, that he could see how special the moment was for the costars.
Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer have been friends for nearly 40 years.
“After one of the takes, (we only did a few), I noticed that both Tom and Val had tears in their eyes. It felt like a genuine moment between two old friends,” Kosinski said.
He continued: “You’ve got two masters at the top of their game playing the most iconic characters of their careers. I think there is a lot of Maverick in Tom, and Iceman in Val, so what you are seeing onscreen is an authentic friendship that has lasted over 36 years.”
