What happened to Kelly McGillis from Top Gun?

In 2022, 'Top Gun: Maverick' practically saved the film industry with 1.493 billion in box office sales in a difficult post-pandemic year. In the film, however, we noticed one empty space next to Tom Cruise: Kelly McGellis, who starred with him in the unforgettable original 1986 film 'Top Gun'.

After her incredible success in the 1980s thanks to 'Top Gun' and other famous hits, Kelly McGillis' professional and private life has been marked by ups and downs. We retrace her story in this gallery dedicated to her.

Of Californian descent, Kelly McGillis (born in 1957) grew up in a family with Scottish, Irish, Welsh and German roots. After graduating from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts at Allan Hancock College, moved to New York in search of fame in the acting world.

After her film debut 'Reuben, Reuben' (1983), the actress starred in 'Witness' (1985), opposite Harrison Ford and directed by Peter Weir. The film won two Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing.

The film represented the take-off of Kelly McGillis' career. She received nominations, at the BAFTA and Golden Globes, opening the golden doors of Hollywood.

In 1986 came her most iconic role, when she starred as Charlie in 'Top Gun', alongside Tom Cruise. The film was a huge commercial success and is still considered a must-see cult hit.

'Top Gun' was followed by many other successful films in the late 1980s, including 'Land of Conquest' (1987), 'Made in Heaven' (1987 - photo), 'The House on Carroll Street' (1988) and 'The Accused' (1988) directed by Jonathan Kaplan.

In the latter film, Kelly McGillis played the role of an assistant district attorney involved in the case of Sarah Tobias, a victim of violence, played by Jodie Foster. Foster won an Oscar as Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film. During the film's release, McGillis revealed to People magazine that she had gone through a similar experience, leaving everyone in shock.

'People' quote the actress: "A lot of people will see The Accused and think it’s just a movie, but to any victim it is much more. I want people to understand that this kind of crime happens in real life. It happened to me."

In the meantime, her career on a film set continued to go from strength to strength, accumulating many more films, including 'Winter People' (1989), 'Grand Isle' (1991), 'The Babe ' (1992), 'North' (1994) and 'At First Sight' (1999).

But, from the 2000s onwards, her fame slowly began to decline. From that period, she appeared in the films 'The Monkey Mask' (2000), 'Nobody Can Hear You' (2001) and horror film, 'Supergator' (2007).

Kelly Mcgillis' last appearance on the big screen was in 2015 with the film 'Blue'. She has not been seen on a film set since then.

McGillis has also had several experiences in the TV industry, appearing in several TV series and films, including 'Sweet Revenge' (1984 - photo) with Alec Baldwin, 'One Life to Live' (1984), 'Remember me' (1995), ' The Outer Limits' (2000) and 'Love finds you  in Sugarcreek' (2014).

In 2016 Kelly McGillis shared her experience as an actress by giving acting classes, including Shakespearean ones, at the Meisner Acting Conservatory in North Carolina, according to looper.com.

During her life, the actress has had to face other difficult and challenging times, such as battling illegal substance abuse and alcohol. Since then, she has worked as a rehabilitation counsellor, sharing her experiences to help others, looper.com reports.

McGillis has been married and divorced three times, to Boyd Black, Fred Tillman (pictured) and Melanie Leis. Her marriage to Tillman gave her two daughters.

In 2009, McGillis came out during an interview with SheWired. She had previously been in a relationship with Melanie Leis, whom she met while Leis was working at a bar owned by McGillis in Key West, according to tuko.com.

Recently her name has returned to the covers of top magazines, due to her major absence in the sequel 'Top Gun: Maverick'. According to newsweek.com, McGillis reportedly told the Teleghaph: 'They did not [get in touch], nor do I think they would ever... 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."

The actress went on to say that in recent years she has preferred to devote herself to her daughters in order to be "the best possible  parent" and stated that she was very "happy" that Jennifer Connelly had the opportunity to appear in 'Top Gun: Maverick'.

According to the biography portal biographyly.com, Kelly McGillis's fortune amounts to more than $8 million, a testament to her successful career as a film actress.

The roles played by McGillis, particularly in 'Top Gun' and 'Witness', have undoubtedly left a lasting mark on cinema, making her one of the most memorable and beloved figures for Hollywood nostalgics of the 1980s and 1990s.

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