Top Gun: Maverick: Cast, Roles, Net Worth, Height, Families, and Relationships

Top Gun: Maverick (2022) is an American action drama film directed by Joseph Kosinski and written by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie, produced by Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

A sequel to Top Gun (1986), it follows Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a veteran Navy pilot, who returns to the Top Gun academy to train an elite squadron for a high-risk mission, confronting his past—especially with Goose’s son, Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw—amid personal and professional reckonings.

Blending adrenaline-fueled aerial sequences, emotional depth, and nostalgic callbacks, the film explores mentorship, redemption, and the perils of pushing limits.

Filmed across California (Naval Air Station North Island, Lemoore) and international locations (Italy for carrier ops) from 2018–2021 (delayed by COVID), on a $170 million budget, it premiered May 27, 2022, in San Diego and released May 27, 2022, in the U.S.

It grossed $1.495 billion worldwide ($718.7 million domestic, $776.6 million international), becoming 2022’s highest-grosser and Cruise’s biggest hit.

The soundtrack, featuring Lady Gaga‘s “Hold My Hand” (Oscar-nominated), topped charts.

It holds a 96% critic score and 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, plus an 8.3/10 on IMDb (from 750,000+ ratings), acclaimed for practical effects, Cruise’s commitment, and ensemble energy but critiqued for formulaic plotting.

Main Cast and Their Roles

Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell

• Role: Maverick, the maverick instructor and test pilot evading promotion to mentor a new Top Gun class, haunted by Goose’s death while romancing Penny and clashing with Rooster. Cruise’s “ageless daredevil” reprise, performing real flights, drove the film’s spectacle; full runtime.
• Net Worth: $600 million.
• Height: 5’7″ (1.70 m).
• Family: Born July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, to hospital worker Janet Marylyn Frager (Portuguese descent) and itinerant cook Thomas Cruise Mapother III (English/German/Irish/Scottish; abusive, d. 1984). Siblings: three sisters (Lee Anne, Marian, Cass). Frequent moves; attended Chabot College and California State University, Sacramento (dropped out).
• Relationships: Married actress Mimi Rogers (1987–1990); Nicole Kidman (1990–2001); Katie Holmes (2006–2012). Three children: Isabella Jane (b. 1992, adopted with Kidman), Connor Antony (b. 1995, adopted with Kidman), Suri (b. 2006 with Holmes). Scientologist; single as of 2025, focused on career.
• Post-Film: Starred in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) and The Final Reckoning (2025, final Hunt). Recent: War of the Worlds remake (2025); Kennedy Center Honors decliner (2025); BFI Fellowship (2025).

Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw

• Role: Rooster, Goose’s vengeful son and skilled pilot resenting Maverick for blocking his career, forging a fraught mentor bond amid the mission. Teller’s “brooding hotshot” added generational tension; full runtime.
• Net Worth: $16 million.
• Height: 6’1″ (1.85 m).
• Family: Born February 20, 1987, in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, to nuclear engineer Michael Teller and marketing exec Merry Teller. Siblings: sisters Erin and Dana. Raised in Florida; attended Lecanto High School and NYU Tisch (BFA drama).
• Relationships: Married model Keleigh Sperry (engaged 2017; wed September 1, 2019, in Maui). No children; home destroyed in 2025 Palisades Fire. Previously dated co-stars (unconfirmed).
• Post-Film: Starred in The Gorge (2025, Apple TV+). Recent: The Running Man adaptation (November 2025, with Edgar Wright); Avengers: Doomsday (2026, as MCU role).

Jennifer Connelly as Penelope “Penny” Benjamin

• Role: Penny, Maverick’s on-again, off-again love interest and bar owner, offering emotional grounding and Navy ties. Connelly’s “poised paramour” brought maturity; recurring across acts.
• Net Worth: $50 million (combined with husband).
• Height: 5’6″ (1.68 m).
• Family: Born December 12, 1970, in Cairo, New York, to clothing manufacturer Gerard Connelly (Irish/Norwegian) and antique dealer Ilene Connelly (Jewish-Polish/Russian). Older sister from father’s prior marriage. Raised in Brooklyn Heights; attended Saint Ann’s School and Yale Drama (MFA).
• Relationships: Son Kai (b. 1997) with photographer David Dugan. Married actor Paul Bettany (since January 1, 2003; met on A Beautiful Mind). Children: Stellan (b. 2003), Agnes Lark (b. 2011). Reside in Brooklyn Heights.
• Post-Film: Starred in Dark Matter (2024, Apple TV+). Recent: The Friend (2025); Maestro (2023); No Sudden Move (2021).

Glen Powell as Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin

• Role: Hangman, the cocky, elite rival pilot challenging Maverick’s methods and Rooster’s skills with bravado. Powell’s “smirking antagonist” sparked rivalries; full runtime.
• Net Worth: $12 million.
• Height: 6’0″ (1.83 m).
• Family: Born October 21, 1988, in Austin, Texas, to executive coach Glen Powell Sr. (Polish/Lipka Tatar) and homemaker Cyndy Powell. Siblings: sisters Lauren (older), Leslie (younger). Attended Westwood High School (football/lacrosse); University of Texas at Austin (dropped out).
• Relationships: Dated model Gigi Paris (2020–2023, split over career). Rumored with Sydney Sweeney (2023–2025, promotional for Anyone But You; attended sister’s wedding March 2025). Single as of October 2025; desires family.
• Post-Film: Starred in Hit Man (2023, Netflix) and Twisters (2024). Recent: Chad Powers (2025, Hulu); The Running Man (2025); Universal first-look deal (2025).

Lewis Pullman as Lt. Robert “Bob” Floyd

• Role: Bob, the unassuming, bespectacled weapons systems officer providing quiet competence and comic relief in the squadron. Pullman’s “nerdy everyman” grounded the team; full runtime.
• Net Worth: $3 million–$5 million.
• Height: 5’10” (1.78 m).
• Family: Born January 29, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, to actor Bill Pullman and dancer Tamara Hurwitz. Siblings: Maesa (actress), Jack, Louis, and two sisters. Attended Montana State University briefly.
• Relationships: Dated singer Rainey Qualley (2020–2023). Dating model Kaia Gerber (since January 2025; spotted at birthday dinner and Cabo vacation). No children.
• Post-Film: Starred in Lessons in Chemistry (2023, Apple TV+). Recent: Thunderbolts* (2025, MCU as Sentry); Avengers: Doomsday (2026); Salem’s Lot (2024).

Monica Barbaro as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace

• Role: Phoenix, the tough, skilled female pilot and Bob’s partner, proving her mettle in dogfights and team dynamics. Barbaro’s “fierce flyer” added diversity; full runtime.
• Net Worth: $2 million.
• Height: 5’7″ (1.70 m).
• Family: Born June 17, 1990, in San Francisco, California, to Heidi Wagner (Mexican/German/Nicaraguan) and Nicholas Barbaro (Italian-American). Siblings: sister Eva, brother Michael (actor). Raised in Mill Valley; NYU Tisch (BFA dance).
• Relationships: Dated actor Connor Tillman (pre-2025). In relationship with actor Andrew Garfield (since early 2025; confirmed at Glastonbury). No children.
• Post-Film: Starred in FUBAR (2023–2025, Netflix). Recent: A Complete Unknown (2024, Oscar-nom as Joan Baez); Crime 101 (2025); West End Les Liaisons Dangereuses (2025).

Val Kilmer as Adm. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky

• Role: Iceman, Maverick’s reformed rival now a dying admiral offering sage counsel via AI voice tech. Kilmer’s poignant cameo, using restored voice, evoked nostalgia; ~10-minute arc.
• Net Worth: $10 million (at death).
• Height: 6’0″ (1.83 m).
• Family: Born December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, California, to Gladys Swanette Ekstadt (Swedish) and Eugene Dorris Kilmer (Irish/German/Cherokee). Siblings: brothers Mark, Wesley (d. 1977, epilepsy). Parents divorced 1968; attended Chatsworth High and Juilliard (drama).
• Relationships: Married actress Joanne Whalley (1988–1996); children: Mercedes (b. 1991, actress), Jack (b. 1995, musician). No further marriages; focused on family post-cancer.
• Post-Film: Documentary Val (2021); voiced Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick. Recent: Died April 1, 2025 (pneumonia complications, age 65, post-throat cancer); tributes at CinemaCon 2025.

Bashir Salahuddin as Lt. Cmdr. Karim “Warlock” Bates

• Role: Warlock, the no-nonsense base commander overseeing Maverick’s training with dry wit. Salahuddin’s “steady commander” provided levity; recurring.
• Net Worth: $1.5 million.
• Height: 6’1″ (1.85 m).
• Family: Born June 30, 1976, in Chicago, Illinois, to Panamanian father (immigrant) and West Side mother (converted to Islam 1970s). Siblings: three brothers, two sisters, two half-siblings. Attended Harvard (pre-med, 1998).
• Relationships: Married actress Chandra Russell (since August 12, 2017; met at Southern Illinois University). Daughter (b. 2018).
• Post-Film: Co-created Sherman’s Showcase (2019–present). Recent: The Other Two (2025); Crushed pilot revival teases.

Charles Parnell as Adm. Solomon “Warlock” Bates

• Role: Warlock, the pragmatic admiral tasking Maverick with the mission, balancing bureaucracy and respect. Parnell’s “authoritative ally” bridged commands; recurring.
• Net Worth: $5 million–$10 million.
• Height: 5’11” (1.80 m).
• Family: Born March 18, 1975, in Chicago, Illinois, to undisclosed parents (mixed ethnicity). No siblings reported. Attended local schools.
• Relationships: Private; no public marriages or children as of 2025.
• Post-Film: Recurred in The Last Ship (2014–2018). Recent: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025); The Killer (2023).

Additional Notes

• Salaries: Cruise earned ~$100 million (backend deal); Teller/Connelly ~$5–10 million; Powell/Pullman/Barbaro ~$1–3 million. The $170 million budget covered real jets (F/A-18s), IMAX cameras, and Navy consultants. Back-end residuals propelled Cruise’s haul; soundtrack/merch added $50M+.
• Casting Insights: Kosinski prioritized pilots’ authenticity; Cruise mentored via flight school. Teller (34) won Rooster after chemistry reads, channeling Whiplash intensity. Powell (33) edged rivals for Hangman with Texas bravado; Barbaro (31) aced dogfight sims. Pullman’s nepo ties (Bill) downplayed for merit. Kilmer’s cameo used AI voice post-cancer. Boot camp: centrifuge training, carrier landings for realism.
• Impact and Legacy: Shattering records ($1.5B gross), it revived theaters post-COVID, boosting Navy recruitment 400% and IMAX sales. Fans on Reddit/X praise dogfights but note thin romance; 96% RT cements sequel status. Influenced Twisters (2024); Top Gun 3 scripted (2025). Streaming on Paramount+ fuels rewatches.
• Post-Film Careers: Cruise/Teller/Connelly anchor franchises; Powell/Barbaro/Pullman rise in MCU/disasters; Kilmer’s death (2025) honored in tributes. Bonds via cons (2025 CinemaCon); Maverick’s “need for speed” sparks aviation trends.
• Cultural Influence: Revived ’80s nostalgia amid drone era, with “Great Balls of Fire” TikToks (500M+ views). Diversity (Barbaro/Pullman/Salahuddin) wins praise, though X critiques “bro” dynamics. Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” trended; 2025 anniversaries (CinemaCon) celebrate flight fever.

Conclusion

Top Gun: Maverick’s soaring ensemble, propelled by Cruise’s timeless Maverick and Teller’s haunted Rooster, rocketed a legacy sequel into stratosphere-defying triumph.

Net worths from $1.5 million (Salahuddin) to $600 million (Cruise) map flights from cockpit casts to cultural command.

Personal altitudes—from Powell’s Texas kin to Barbaro’s dancer roots—echo the film’s wingman ethos.

Its billion-dollar barrel roll, recruitment roar, and meme dogfights affirm it as Paramount’s apex aviator, where feeling the need unites the impossible.