Why was Kelly McGillis not in Top Gun: Maverick?

American Kelly McGillis did not reprise her role as Charlie Blackwood in Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2019, Kelly McGillis revealed that she was not asked to participate in Top Gun: Maverick, but that she wished the filmmakers well with the project.

She said “Oh my god no. They did not, nor do I think they would ever,” she replied, almost laughing at the idea. “I mean, I’m old and I’m fat, and I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about.”

It’s worth noting that Top Gun: Maverick takes place 34 years after the events of the original Top Gun, so it’s possible that Charlie Blackwood’s character was written out of the script due to changes in the storyline or the focus of the film.

Top Gun director Joseph Kosinski revealed that he wanted to take the film in a different direction with different characters.