Top Gun's sequel Top Gun: Maverick is introducing a new love interest for the iconic fighter pilot. Jennifer Connelly will romance Maverick, as a single mother who is the owner of a bar. No other details have been shared about the character, including her name. While there are theories that she might be Penny Benjamin, who is mentioned in the first movie but never shown, the addition of this new love brings up the question of why Top Gun actress Kelly McGillis won't reprise her role as Charlie.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, McGillis was blunt about why she wasn't asked to join Top Gun: Maverick. "I'm old and I'm fat I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about,” she explained. “But... I’d much rather feel absolutely secure in my skin and who and what I am at my age as opposed to placing a value on all that other stuff.”
Though some fans might be disappointed Maverick and Charlie aren't together anymore, McGillis isn't hurt by the decision to not include her. The actress hasn't had many roles since the iconic '80s flick, and said in an interview with USA Today that having a new lifestyle has shifted her focus from her acting career:
"I think just my priorities in life changed. It wasn't like a major decision that I made to leave, it was just that other things became more important. I love acting, I love what I do, I love doing theater, but I don't know. To me, my relationships to other people became far more important than my relationship to fame."
She also mentioned to USA Today that right now she's perfectly content staying at home with her children, rather than spending her time on set. "I am a home person. I'm really rooted in my home life ... I can't remember the last time I worked," she said. "I feel really blessed that I don't have to work, you know? But I get the option to work, so I'm really blessed in that way. Not many people get that option later in life, so I feel very lucky."
But, for fans who are concerned about Charlie not being in Top Gun: Maverick, there's still hope that they'll know what she's up to. The sequel will potentially explain what happened in their relationship and what Charlie is doing now. Though not much has been shared about the plot, it's expected that the sequel will update fans on what's been going on in the past three decades since Maverick returned to Topgun as an instructor.
