Where Top Gun cast are now – from secret marriage and divorce battles to throat cancer battle and uni professor career

HOLLYWOOD icon Tom Cruise has reprised his role as naval aviator Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell for the hotly-anticipated Top Gun sequel.

The world premiere took place last night in the US, with windswept Tom arriving on a helicopter.

Top Gun: Maverick, which hits UK cinemas on May 25 and co-stars Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm, was originally scheduled for release in 2019 but was hit by delays before Covid arrived.

It's been a staggering 36 years since the original Top Gun film was released, way back in 1986.

But what have the rest of the cast been up to since their starring roles?

Here we take a closer look at their careers since and where they are now...

Kelly McGillis

Role: Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood

Kelly McGillis played Maverick's love interest, Top Gun instructor Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood in the first film.

Despite previously saying she would love to return for a cameo, the actress, now 64, won't be appearing in the sequel.

She went on to star in films including The Accused alongside Jodie Foster and 2018 film Maternal interests.

She also opened a restaurant in Florida called Kelly's with her second husband, Fred Tillman, in the 1990s and the couple had two children before divorcing in 2002.

Kelly later came out as gay in 2009. She worked as an acting teacher and wed Melanie Leis in 2010 in a civil union ceremony, however they split the following year.

Val Kilmer

Role: Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky

Despite starting out as enemies, both as competitive as each other, by the end of the film Val Kilmer's character Iceman had become friends with Tom's Maverick - and he's set to reprise his role for the sequel.

Since starring in the original film, Val Kilmer's career catapulted, with notable performances including as Bruce Wayne in 1995 film Batman Forever, The Doors and The Saint.

Last year he released an Amazon Prime documentary, called Val, which provided an intimate look into his career and private life, including his 2014 throat cancer diagnosis.

Val, 62, who has a two children with ex-wife Joanne Whalley, had to undergo a tracheostomy and as a result, lost the ability to speak without assistance.

While he is slowly regaining his speech, he now relies on a voice box to communicate, and recently told his story in memoir I'm Your Huckleberry.

Rick Rossovich

Role: Ron 'Slider' Kerner

After playing rival radar intercept officer Slider, Rossovich, 64, continued to act, appearing in films including Navy Seals and Roxanne.

He also featured on TV show ER, playing Doctor John Taglieri.

Last year he was asked by Reuters if he'll be appearing in the sequel, and teased: "I'll keep that a secret. I'm sworn to secrecy. I might show up, I don't know, maybe I got cut out, I don't know."

Anthony Edwards

Role: Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw

After playing Maverick's doomed wingman Officer Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, who died in an aviation accident, Anthony went on to play Doctor Mark Greene on ER for eight years.

The role gained him a Golden Globe and four Emmy nominations, and he also starred in shows including Law & Order True Crime, Drunk History and Billions.

Anthony, now 59, was married to Jeanine Lobell from 1994 until 2015, and the couple had four children together.

Meg Ryan

Role: Carole Bradshaw

After playing Goose's wife Carole, Meg Ryan's career really took off, starring in hit rom coms including When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You've got Mail.

However, she later took a step back from Hollywood, saying: "I was burned out. I didn't feel like I knew enough anymore about myself or the world to reflect it as an actor. I felt isolated."

Meg, 60, married fellow actor Dennis Quaid in 1991 and had a son, before divorcing in 2000 after Ryan had an affair with Russell Crowe, who she met on the set of Proof Of Life.

Adrian Pasdar

Role: Charles 'Chipper' Piper

After playing the role of naval aviator Lieutenant Charles 'Chipper', Adrian Pasdar, 57, went on to feature in films including cult vampire film Near Dark and opposite Julie Walters in 1992 comedy Just Like A Woman.

He married Dixie Chicks musician Natalie Maines in 2000 and the pair went on to have two children.

However Natalie later filed for divorce in 2017, with Natalie claiming 'irreconcilable differences' and Pasdar requesting $60k a month in support, according to PEOPLE.

Tim Robbins

Role: Sam 'Merlin' Wells

Despite having a relatively small part in Top Gun, Tim Robbins, 63, became a hugely successful film star in his own right.

He received two Oscar nominations for Dead Man Walking and Mystic River, winning the latter (best supporting actor) in 2004.

He played the role of inmate Andy Dufresne in critically acclaimed film The Shawshank Redemption.

The star had a long term romance with Susan Sarandon, and had two sons together.

Last year the actor filed for a divorce from girlfriend of three years Gartiela Brancusi, after the pair got secretly married.

It's not known when the pair tied the knot, with their relationship shrouded in secrecy.

James Tolkan

Role: Stinger

Actor James Tolkan is known around the world not only for his role in Top Gun, but for his performances playing Mr Strickland in the Back To The Future trilogy, and Problem Child 2.

Now, the actor is 90 years old, and is reportedly semi-retired, although he did appear in TV mini series Expedition: Back To The Future, released earlier this year.

Clarence Gilyard Junior

Role: Marcus 'Sundown' Williams

Playing Chipper's radar intercept officer Sundown, Clarence Gilyard Junior was the recipient of Cruise’s iconic line “I will fire when I am goddamn good and ready.”

He went on to star in Die Hard as hacker Theo, as well as starring in Walker and Texas Ranger.

The actor, 66, later became an American University professor, teaching acting.

Tom Skerritt

Role: Viper

Tom Skerritt will return to Top Gun: Maverick as Viper - but, at 88 years old, he looks very different to what he used to.

He will appear in a funeral scene for one of the Top Gun members, previously revealing: "I had one good day with Tom [Cruise] and that was about it."

Tom has appeared in over 40 movies, and over 200 TV episodes, and even won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1993 for Picket Fences.

When he's not in the front of the camera, the acclaimed actor works at his film company, Triple Squirrels, which he set up with his wife, Julia Tokashiki, who he married in 1998.

He was previously married to Charlotte Shanks and Sue Oran.

Michael Ironside

Role: Jester

Michael Ironside, 72, was in the early stages of an epic career when he appeared as moody flight instructor Rick 'Jester' Heatherly in Top Gun.

He starred in many films after, including Total Recall and The Perfect Storm.

But he won't be returning for the Top Gun sequel, as he doesn't have a good relationship with the producer Jerry Beckheimer.

According to an interview he did with the Hollywood Reporter, Michael turned down an offer to be in one of Jerry's films about a decade ago, and Jerry ignored Michael the next time he saw him in public.