Lewis Hamilton could have been a part of Tom Cruise starrer Top Gun: Maverick. Remembering the time he passed up on the offer of starring in the film, the racing superstar revealed he regrets not taking up the role.
In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Lewis Hamilton spoke about becoming friends with Tom Cruise when the action star invited him to the set of his 2014 film Edge of Tomorrow. The pair continued to stay in touch with Tom congratulating him on his races in advance and Lewis returning the favour for his films.
When Tom Cruise and Lewis Hamilton became good friends
This led to Tom extending him a chance to work with him in a hypothetical Top Gun sequel. This was years before Top Gun: Maverick actually came to fruition. Lewis recalled, “I said, ‘Dude, if you ever do Top Gun 2, I will even be a janitor,’” The racer added, “’Just let me be in it.’”
Once the sequel started pre-production, Lewis Hamilton revealed that the actor remembered his request and put him in touch with director Joseph Kosinski, who ended up offering the racer a role as one of the film’s pilots.
Lewis Hamilton, however, passed up on the offer. He was busy at the time with his packed schedule, including the 2018 title race, as well as his lack of acting experience. But he later regretted his decision once he saw the 2022 action film starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Glen Powell.
Lewis recalled, “Firstly, I hadn’t even had, like, an acting lesson. And I don’t want to be the one that lets this movie down. And then secondly, I just really didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom — and it broke my heart. And then I regretted it, naturally, when they showed me the movie and it’s: It could’ve been me! Oh, God, I’m still….”
