Among the cast of the highly anticipated Tom Cruise blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” is an actor with Austin roots, according to a report from Austin NBC affiliate KXAN.
Austinite Glen Powell plays Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin, a member of a new class of naval pilots taught by the titular character reprised by the 59-year-old Cruise in the sequel to the 1986 classic, KXAN reported.
According to a USA Today report, per KXAN, Powell’s character was created by Cruise with Val Kilmer’s “Iceman” character from the original having served as an inspiration.
“We knew we wanted to have a Texas flair, to be this Southern cocky, fun guy,” Powell said in the report. “And we knew it had to be Iceman-adjacent.”
Powell, a University of Texas alum, boned up on the role by learning how to fly F-18s and earning a pilot’s license, KXAN reported.
He cited the first flick of the “Top Gun” franchise as the reason he went into acting, per the station.
“If you don’t want to be a fighter pilot or an actor after watching that movie, you’re crazy,” Powell said in the report.
Aside from Cruise, Powell’s co-stars include Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly and Jon Hamm, per KXAN.
The station reported that the long-awaited sequel was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The wait was worth it as the flick pulled in more than $120 million during its opening weekend, which lead up to the Memorial Day holiday, according to KXAN.
The 33-year-old Powell’s first acting job was in “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over,” the station reported.
It helped that the 2003 spy action comedy adventure film was filmed in Austin.
