According to Lewis Hamilton, declining a part as a fighter pilot in the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun: Maverick was “the most heartbreaking call that I think I’ve ever had.”
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion from Britain confirmed that he had agreed to take a role in the successful follow-up to the 1986 blockbuster.
He had to cancel, though, because the movie was being shot during the Formula 1 season.
After Cruise brought Hamilton to the set of his science fiction movie Edge of Tomorrow in 2014, Hamilton claims they “developed a bond.”
Hamilton was inspired by Top Gun to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a fighter pilot, and he could not help but ask Cruise if he might appear in the much anticipated sequel.
Vanity Fair quoted Hamilton as saying, “When I heard the second one was coming out, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I have to ask him,'” referring to Cruise as “one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet.”
“It doesn’t matter what function it is, I remarked. I’ll even sweep something, serve as a backroom cleaner.”
The F1 governing body, the FIA, is believed to have targeted Hamilton with its stringent stance on drivers wearing jewelry in their cars, as Hamilton claimed in the interview that he had not loved following rules “since I was a kid.”
The Mercedes driver remarked, “I’m truly the only one wearing jewelry.”
“I don’t usually enjoy being told what to do. People enjoy exercising and having power.
Hamilton claimed that as a child, he had negative interactions with authoritative officials.
As one of the few Black students at his school, he claimed, “I was dyslexic and struggled like hell. I was put in the lowest classrooms and never given an opportunity to grow or even helped to progress.”
I was told by teachers, “You’re never going to be nothing. I can recall crying and saying, “I’m not going to be anything,” and for a brief while, I actually did believe that.
I don’t genuinely harbor any resentment toward those individuals because they gave me motivation.
After the contentious finish to the 2021 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December, when Star Wars creator George Lucas was among his friends cheering him on in person at the race, Hamilton thought about his F1 future.
Hamilton, who is now sixth in the driver rankings for 2022, has won podium finishes in his last five races and has hinted that he would continue to work with Mercedes after his current contract expires in 2023.
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t considered expanding, he admitted.
“I’m still on the goal, I still adore driving, and I still find driving to be challenging. I don’t think I’ll have to give it up anytime soon, so to speak.”