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Kelly McGillis Says She Wasn't Asked to Be Part of 'Top Gun' Sequel (Exclusive)

Kelly McGillis Says She Wasn't Asked to Be Part of 'Top Gun' Sequel (Exclusive)
Credit: Christopher Oquendo / SplashNews.com

Kelly McGillis won't be making an appearance in Top Gun: Maverick.

When ET exclusively chatted with the 62-year-old actress over the phone on Friday, she told us that she was not asked to be a part of the upcoming Joseph Kosinski-directed sequel.

In the original Top Gun, released in 1986 and directed by Tony Scott, McGillis portrayed the role of Charlie, the bombshell love interest of Maverick, played by Tom Cruise

"You know what, I don't know how to answer that because one, it hasn't happened," McGillis said when asked if she would attend any of the promotional events surrounding the new film. "Two, if and when it did happen, I would have to assess where I am, what I'm doing, what's going on ... I can't project what I would or wouldn't do in the future. I have no idea because I don't know where I'll be."

"Movies are odd things. I don't really keep in touch with anybody," she continued, adding that she has yet to see the trailer for the sequel. "I think I've spoken to a couple of people occasionally, but the truth is, movies are very odd work situations because you have a lot of people who come together from all different parts of the world."

Cruise confirmed to ET last July that Jennifer Connelly was officially joining the star-studded Top Gun: Maverick cast. "Look, she's a great actress, obviously ... [and] when you see the film, you'll see why she's perfect for it," he said at the time. "We're just going to have a great cast. Gonna be a lot of fun."

When asked what she thinks about Connelly stepping in as Maverick's love interest, McGillis told us that although she doesn't know the 48-year-old actress, she is "so glad that she got that opportunity."

"I'm glad for her," she added.

McGillis, who has been out of the spotlight for years, now resides in North Carolina and enjoys spending her time with her two children, daughters Sonora and Kelsey Tillman. Explaining why she left Hollywood, McGills said she "got sober" and was "on a journey to figure out who the hell" she was.

"It was very challenging for me to have any kind of sense of self or self-identity or real self-worth other than what I did for a living," she admitted. "And it just -- it didn't become a priority; what became the priority initially was raising my girls and being the best sober parent I could be."

"I think just my priorities in life changed," she continued. "It wasn't like a major decision that I made to leave, it was just that other things became more important. I love acting, I love what I do, I love doing theater, but I don't know. To me, my relationships to other people became far more important than my relationship to fame."

McGillis told ET that she's currently "in transition, moving into a different phase of life" and hopes her next adventure will consist of lots of traveling.

"I am a home person. I'm really rooted in my home life ... I can't remember the last time I worked," she said, telling ET that she was diagnosed with alpha one antitrypsin disorder about five years ago. "I feel really blessed that I don't have to work, you know? But I get the option to work, so I'm really blessed in that way. Not many people get that option later in life, so I feel very lucky."

Top Gun: Maverick hits theaters June 26, 2020. In the meantime, watch the video below to hear what the cast shared with ET at Comic-Con earlier this month.

Reporting by Brendon Geoffrion.

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