According to Kurt Russell, Tom Cruise wanted to take his love of flying beyond the movie set after starring in Top Gun. To make that happen, he learned to pilot real planes with help from the seasoned Hollywood actor and experienced pilot, who guided him through the early steps of flight and shared decades of aviation know-how, setting Cruise on the path to becoming a skilled pilot both on and off-screen.

Kurt Russell says he helped Tom Cruise learn how to fly

Russell recently explained to Entertainment Weekly that he could see Cruise’s enthusiasm for planes right away. “I flew for 30 years. I’m not current anymore, but I flew a lot of different airplanes,” he said. “I helped Tom after he did Top Gun. We flew in my plane, and I saw that he really wanted to learn to fly, so I did what I could to help him out.”

Cruise’s journey didn’t stop there. Director Sydney Pollack also played a role, gifting Cruise flying lessons after his 1993 film The Firm. Over the years, Cruise’s pilot skills have been featured in films like American Made and Top Gun: Maverick.

Russell also praised Cruise’s skills, saying he’s “a good stick man” and expressing how much he enjoyed seeing Cruise reprise the character of Maverick after so many years.

The aviation passion Cruise developed has even rubbed off on co-stars. Glen Powell, Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick costar, shared that Cruise personally financed his pilot lessons, helping him earn a license. “For Christmas, Tom bought me an iPad with my flight school downloaded and prepaid,” Powell said. “After months of flying, studying, and testing… I’m the real deal.” As for Russell, he remains grounded but keeps busy with projects like his Super Bowl Michelob ULTRA ad, which channels some of that Top Gun energy.