In a move that stunned insiders, Tom Cruise allegedly unleashed a furious tirade during a “Top Gun 3″ production meeting when a controversial idea was floated.
This was after a suggestion was made to bring back Val Kilmer‘s character using artificial intelligence.
The incident has sparked conversations about Cruise’s stance on AI and the delicate legacy of Kilmer, who died earlier this year.
Tom Cruise Rejects AI Resurrection Of Val Kilmer In ‘Top Gun 3’
Cruise, long known for his intense dedication to authenticity, reportedly exploded when a team member suggested digitally reviving Val Kilmer’s Iceman using AI.
Sources told the Daily Mail that the star leapt from his seat and “let rip,” leaving the entire room in stunned silence.
“Someone suggested bringing Val Kilmer back via AI,” one insider said. “Tom jumped to his feet and let rip, leaving the entire room silent for literally minutes. You could almost hear a pin drop and see steam coming out of his ears.”
Cruise, 62, is said to have a deep disdain for artificial intelligence, believing that it would “bastardize everything” Kilmer stood for as both an actor and a friend.
The actor was reportedly adamant that any attempt to recreate Kilmer’s image posthumously would cross a line he’s unwilling to tolerate.
The Emotional Farewell Between Maverick And Iceman
Val Kilmer made his final on-screen appearance in “Top Gun: Maverick,” with his iconic voice recreated through AI technology due to his battle with throat cancer.
Kilmer’s vocal cords were damaged following a tracheotomy in 2014, and London-based AI firm Sonantic was enlisted to help him speak both in the film and in real life.
“I’m grateful to the entire team at Sonantic who masterfully restored my voice in a way I’ve never imagined possible,” Kilmer said at the time.
The 2022 sequel marked Kilmer’s last film before his death from pneumonia in April 2025 at the age of 65. The emotionally charged reunion between Iceman and Cruise’s Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was one of the film’s most unforgettable moments.
“The Navy needs Maverick,” Kilmer’s character said in the film. “The kid needs Maverick. That’s why I fought for you. That’s why you’re still here.”
The pair then embraced, with Iceman cheekily adding, “One last thing — who is the better pilot, you or me?”
Director Joseph Kosinski described the scene as deeply emotional. “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.”
Why Tom Cruise Won’t Allow AI To Tarnish Val Kilmer’s Legacy
Though Kilmer’s character dies in “Top Gun: Maverick,” some early ideas for “Top Gun 3” included referencing or even digitally recreating Iceman. Cruise reportedly shut the idea down immediately.
“Val only managed to make a brief appearance in Maverick due to his long battle with cancer,” one source explained. “Tom knew it would be Val’s screen farewell and wanted to give him the honorable send-off he deserved.”
Another insider added, “The moment he shared with Val in Maverick was such a beautiful experience, that when an AI Val was brought up, he wasn’t happy and quickly killed it because that would just bastardize everything.”
Cruise was allegedly firm that if Kilmer isn’t alive to approve the portrayal, he won’t be involved in any form of digital resurrection.
“Will the movie reference Val? Yes, but Maverick is the last time we’ll see him,” the source said.
Tom Cruise’s History Of On-Set Outbursts And Perfectionism
This is not the first time Tom Cruise has made headlines for his passionate outbursts.
In 2020, during the filming of “Mission: Impossible 7,” audio leaked of the actor unleashing a profanity-laced rant at crew members who violated COVID-19 safety protocols.
“If I see you do it again, you’re f-cking gone,” he shouted in the now-infamous recording. “No apologies. You can tell it to the people who are losing their f-cking homes because our INDUSTRY is shut down.”
As one of Hollywood’s most dedicated perfectionists, Cruise is known for going to extreme lengths to maintain the integrity of his projects.
“People loved the sequel, so Tom will do nothing to ruin the audience’s goodwill,” a source emphasized. “To add an AI Val would be graceless.”
Val Kilmer’s Greatest Movies
Despite his death, Kilmer remains one of the greatest actors in Hollywood history, and there are many movies to prove this.
In addition to his portrayal of Iceman in “Top Gun” (1986) and “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), he starred in many other blockbusters.
In “The Doors” (1991), he stunned fans with a hauntingly real portrayal of Jim Morrison. Kilmer then stole hearts as the witty Doc Holliday in “Tombstone” (1993), coining the legendary line, “I’m your Huckleberry.”
He brought complexity to Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever” (1995) and delivered quiet brilliance as a conflicted thief in “Heat” (1995).
Kilmer’s performances were bold, emotional, and unforgettable.
Although he’s gone, his work lives on, reminding fans of his singular talent and lasting impact on the entertainment industry.
Tom Cruise Is Finally Getting An Oscar After 44 Years In Hollywood
Tom Cruise, choreographer-actor-filmmaker Debbie Allen, production designer Wynn Thomas and singer-songwriter Dolly Parton are being given honorary Oscars.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made the announcement. Cruise, Allen and Wynn are being recognized for their contributions to the film industry, while Parton is being honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Cruise, Allen, Wynn and Parton will receive their statuettes at the Oscars’ annual Governors Awards on Nov. 16.
“This year’s Governors Awards will celebrate four legendary individuals whose extraordinary careers and commitment to our filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact,” Academy President Janet Yang said in an AMPAS press release on Tuesday.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – January 21, 2025: Debbie Allen appears on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” airing … More
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“The Academy’s Board of Governors is honored to recognize these brilliant artists. Debbie Allen is a trailblazing choreographer and actor, whose work has captivated generations and crossed genres,” Yang noted. “Tom Cruise’s incredible commitment to our filmmaking community, to the theatrical experience, and to the stunts community has inspired us all.
“Beloved performer Dolly Parton exemplifies the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award through her unwavering dedication to charitable efforts,” Yang added. “And production designer Wynn Thomas has brought some of the most enduring films to life through a visionary eye and mastery of his craft.”
HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 11: Wynn Thomas speaks onstage at 21st Annual Art Directors Guild’s … More
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The honorary award is an Oscar statuette, which AMPAS said is “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is also an Oscar statuette, which AMPAS gives “to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities,” the Academy noted.
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which is also an Oscar statuette, is given “to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities.”
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 20: Dolly Parton speaks onstage at Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In … More
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Tom Cruise Was Previously Nominated For Four Oscars
In the AMPAS press release, Tom Cruise was recognized as ‘One of the most recognized and highest-grossing actors of all time.”
The release noted that “Cruise has been a committed advocate of the theatrical experience, and he helped to usher the industry through a challenging time during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Cruise’s career began in 1981, when he starred in the romantic drama Endless Love and military drama Taps.
Cruise was previously nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for 1989’s Born on the Fourth of July and 1996’s Jerry Maguire and was up for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 1999’s Magnolia. As a filmmaker, Cruise was nominated as a producer for the 2022 Best Picture Oscar nominee Top Gun: Maverick.
Cruise recently took to the skies again to perform death-defying stunts for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and possibly last film in the Mission: Impossible film series which he started in 1996.
Neither Allen nor Thomas has been nominated for an Oscar. Allen has not only worked in film as a choreographer (The Six Triple Eight and two Oscar ceremonies) and actor (Fame, Ragtime) but she’s also acted, directed and produced dozens of television series including Fame: TV Series and Grey’s Anatomy.
Allen also was a producer of director Steven Spielberg’s 1997 historical drama Amistad, which was nominated for four Oscars.
Thomas has worked as a production designer on more than 40 movies, including the Spike Lee films She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Crooklyn and Da 5 Bloods.
In addition, Thomas was a production designer on Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks!, Barry Levinson’s Wag the Dog, Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s King Richard.
Parton has been nominated for two Oscars for Best Original Song: “9 to 5” for 1980’s 9 to 5 and “Travelin’ Thru” for 2005’s Transamerica. In addition, per IMDb, Parton has 675 soundtrack credits for music for film and television.
Among Parton’s charitable endeavors is theDollywood Foundation, which she founded in 1988. Per AMPAS, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was established in 1995 in honor of Parton’s father and “has provided children with 285 million books.”
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s Governors Awards honoring Tom Cruise, Debbie Allen, Wynn Thomas and Dolly Parton will not be televised, but the four artists will be recognized during the broadcast of the 2026 Academy Awards.
Brad Pitt still ‘bitter’ about decades-old competition with Tom Cruise
Actor jokes he might work with Cruise again if he doesn’t have to perform dangerous stunts
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Brad Pitt is ready for a rematch.
During a recent interview with Extra, the 61-year-old actor shared that he and actor Tom Cruise used to race against each other in go-karts when working together in the ’90s.
“Tom and I gotta get back out there. The last time we went there, he pit me,” he said. “He took me on the last corner and I’m still bitter about it 30 years later. Nah, he had my number.”
The two famously worked together on the 1994 film, “Interview with a Vampire.” When asked if he has any plans to work with Cruise again, Pitt jokingly shared that he’ll “consider it” if he doesn’t “have to hang from biplanes and, like, swim through submarines.”
Pitt is ready for a go-carting rematch against Cruise. (Marilla Sicilia/Archivio Marilla Sicilia/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images; Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
Cruise is known for doing his own stunts when making his films, most recently hanging off a biplane and then jumping onto another biplane, all while in midair, in his latest film, “Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning.”
While Pitt said he didn’t want to participate in any crazy stunts, he did drive at dangerously fast speeds when filming his upcoming movie, “F1: The Movie.”
“It was such a pleasure to get in those cars. It was such a high. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I’ve gotta figure out a way to do it again,” he explained. “So the lines are secondary. You’re worried about your braking points, the lines, not so much.”
In “F1: The Movie,” Pitt portrays an up-and-coming Formula 1 race car driver in the 1990s whose career comes to a halt after an accident on the track. Thirty years later, he is brought back to the racing world with a chance at redemption.
Pitt drove the race cars at dangerously fast speeds when filming his new movie “F1: The Movie.” (Photo by Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Much of what is seen on camera was filmed at real-life Formula 1 racing events, with Pitt sharing “we’ve embedded ourselves into the racing schedule, into the actual sporting event.”
“And so we would have, like, five minutes, we’d be on the grid, the race is gonna start in 10, and we would have these two takes to do a scene on the grid with all the great production value of the real race drivers and the real cars in front of us,” Pitt said. “It was just great energy, the whole thing.”
During an interview with GQ in May, Pitt reflected on his life in the public eye, telling the outlet, “some version of my personal life” has been in the news for 30 years.
“It’s been an annoyance I’ve had to always deal with in different degrees, large and small, as I do the things I really want to do. So, it’s always been this kind of nagging time suck or waste of time, if you let it be that. Mostly I feel pretty…. My life is fairly contained. It feels pretty warm and secure with my friends, with my loves, with my fam, with my knowledge of who I am, that, you know, it’s like this fly buzzing around a little bit,” he said.
During an interview with GQ in May, Pitt reflected on his life in the public eye, telling the outlet, “some version of my personal life” has been in the news for 30 years. (Presley Ann).
He later elaborated on his comments when speaking with Entertainment Tonight in June, saying the older he gets, the more he realizes the importance of surrounding “yourself with the people you know, the people you love, the people that love you back.”
“F1: The Movie” is set to premiere on June 27.
‘Harry Potter’ Star, 62, Says Iconic Actor ‘Was the Worst Bully Ever’
Jason Isaacs, 62, best known for his roles in the Harry Potter film franchise and most recently, The White Lotus, spoke about his decades-long career as an actor in a June 16 interview with Vulture.
While speaking to the publication, Isaacs said he had an unpleasant interaction with an iconic actor on one of his projects. According to Isaacs, the unnamed individual “was the worst bully ever and a global icon.”
“Did all the old tricks of doing a completely different performance off-camera than on. Yeah, it sucked. I’d never seen anything like it. Before, I would’ve licked the ground that this person walked on,” said Isaacs during the interview.
Isaacs also told the publication that he has dealt with several actors who he has not enjoyed working with while on set.
“Mostly, what I judge on set is bad behavior. It’s selfishness, cruelty, bullying, or people complaining to the person who’s getting them dressed, who doesn’t get in a year what they earn in a day to pick their filthy underwear off the floor,” said Isaacs, who has starred in films like Armageddon, Event Horizon, and Peter Pan. “That, or not turning up, or going home early, or thinking they know better than the director, or being on crack and calling prostitutes to their trailer. I come across all that stuff.”
Isaacs clarified that he would never name names when it comes to said actors.
“I know where all the bodies are buried. I often fantasize about doing a junket and telling the truth, and when I win the lottery, possibly that will be the case. But there is no value, other than masochism and sabotage, in telling people the truth about people I’ve worked with or experiences I’ve had. Acting is all about secrets,” said the Star Trek: Discovery actor.
In a June 2025 interview on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, hosted by Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Isaacs said he gave some advice about the entertainment industry to his younger White Lotus castmates during the production of the show’s third season. According to Isaacs, he became close to his on-screen children, Sam Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Sarah Catherine Hook, and wanted to impart some words of wisdom.
“I keep saying, ‘Go to Sundance, find filmmakers you like. Have lunch with them. Find the people. I know that your agents will be going, you’ve just had this giant launch. Let’s get you in a huge franchise,'” said the Harry Potter actor. “‘You can do that too, but make sure you find interesting people making interesting projects and do that stuff. Because otherwise you can suddenly find yourself, you know, on a happy meal, but not having a career.'”
‘Harry Potter’ Star, 62, Says Iconic Actor ‘Was the Worst Bully Ever’ first appeared on Parade on Jun 17, 2025
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