Tom Cruise Talks Emotional 'Top Gun' Reunion With Val Kilmer: 'I Was Crying'

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Tom Cruise's reunion with Val Kilmer in "Top Gun: Maverick" was incredibly emotional.

Kilmer, who battled throat cancer, briefly appeared in the highly-anticipated sequel as Iceman. Kilmer was a star in the original, and Iceman was Maverick's natural rival for most of the film.

Without spoiling Iceman's arc in "Top Gun: Maverick," his brief appearance in the film was very emotional for Cruise behind the scenes.

"I’ve known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character — he’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again. You’re looking at Iceman. I was crying. I got emotional. He’s such a brilliant actor, and I love his work," Cruise explained during a Friday appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Tom Cruise was brought to tears.

These comments shouldn't surprise anyone. Cruise and Kilmer made "Top Gun" one of the greatest military/pro-America movies ever released back in 1986.

It was a legendary and iconic film. In recent years, Kilmer has had plenty of struggles with his health as he successfully beat throat cancer. However, his battle with cancer left him with some long term health issues.

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Tom Cruise talks emotional reunion with Tom Cruise. (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)

He has permanent damage to his vocal cords, according to US Magazine. That's why seeing him reprise his role in "Top Gun: Maverick" as Iceman was so incredible.

Clearly, it was an emotional rollercoaster for Cruise behind the cameras. After decades, the two were back together, but the circumstances had changed a lot. It's a difficult situation the duo clearly made the best out of .

Tom Cruise says "Top Gun: Maverick" reunion with Val Kilmer was very emotional. (Photo by The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images)

If you haven't already seen "Top Gun: Maverick," it's worth every second of your time. It was probably the best movie of 2022. If it wasn't the best, it was second. Seeing Val Kilmer back with Tom Cruise, even for a limited amount of time, was awesome. Definitely check it out.

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David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.