The roar of jet engines, the gleam of aviator sunglasses, and the infectious charisma of Tom Cruise have forever etched Top Gun into the annals of Hollywood legend. What began as a high-octane military action movie in 1986 has transformed into a global cultural phenomenon that continues to captivate audiences decades later. As an acknowledgment, the US Navy has awarded the Hollywood legend with the highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Public Service Award, for his “outstanding contributions” to the military with his screen roles.
A medal was presented to Cruise by the US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro during a ceremony on Tuesday at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey. The 62-year-old superstar’s contributions to the film industry “increased public awareness and appreciation for the Navy’s highly trained personnel and the sacrifices they make while in uniform,” a press release by the Navy read. “I admire all of the servicemen and women,” Cruise said. “I know in life, something that is very true to me, is that to lead is to serve. And I know that to my core. And I see that in the servicemen and women.”
Tom Cruise’s journey with the Top Gun franchise has been nothing short of a cinematic odyssey, transforming from a rising Hollywood star in the 1986 original to a globally recognized action icon in the 2022 sequel. In the original film, Cruise embodied Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a cocky young naval aviator whose reckless flying and magnetic personality made him an instant cultural phenomenon.
The movie not only launched Cruise’s career into the stratosphere but also became a defining film of the 1980s, with its high-octane aerial sequences, memorable soundtrack, and portrayal of military aviation that captured the imagination of audiences worldwide.
Decades later, Top Gun: Maverick proved that Cruise’s commitment to spectacular, practical filmmaking and his enduring screen presence could reignite the franchise for a new generation.
The iconic actor wanted the action-packed aerial sequences in the movie to look so real that he asked for permission from the US Navy to pilot an F/a-18 Super Hornet himself. The Navy denied the ambitious request, but the 2022 sequel’s box office success and widespread acclaim reaffirmed Cruise’s status as one of Hollywood’s most enduring and dynamic leading men. The Navy said in the news release that Cruise’s work on the original “Top Gun” movie sparked a surge in Navy pilot recruitment at the time, while the sequel also had the same effect.
