Lewis Hamilton regrets turning down his role in Top Gun: Maverick

Lewis Hamilton

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Racing star Lewis Hamilton has spoken about the time he missed out on the opportunity to work with Tom Cruise which he still regrets today.

The Formula One driver revealed in a recent interview GQ magazine that he became friends with Cruise after the actor invited him to the set of his 2014 film Edge of tomorrow. The duo continued to keep in touch — with Cruise sending Hamilton encouraging messages during the races — and the contestant eventually asked the actor to cast him in a hypothetical role. The best Sequel, years ago Top Gun: Maverick It actually came to fruition.

I said: My friend, if you do that Top Gun 2“I’m going to be a janitor,” Hamilton recalls telling Cruise at the time. “Just let me be in it.”

Once the sequel began pre-production, the Formula 1 driver said: Mission: Impossible The star remembered his request and put Hamilton in touch with director Joseph Kosinski, who ended up offering the contestant a role as one of the film’s pilots.

However, due to his busy schedule, including a 2018 title race, as well as his lack of acting experience, Hamilton said he ultimately passed up the opportunity. But he later regretted his decision once he saw the 2022 action film starring Cruise, Miles Teller, and Glen Powell.

“First of all, I didn’t even take an acting lesson,” he told the magazine. “And I don’t want to be the one who let this movie down. And secondly, I didn’t have enough time to devote to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom, and it broke my heart. And then I regretted it, of course, when they showed me the movie and the answer was: It could have been me! God, I still….”

althoug The best The sequel ultimately served as the Formula 1 star’s door to Hollywood, and another opportunity to work with Kosinski came soon after. Hamilton has signed on to produce the director’s upcoming Formula 1 film starring Brad Pitt to help ensure the film includes an accurate representation of the international racing league.

“My point was: Guys, this movie has to be very real. We have two different sets of fans – like the original fans, who from the day they were born they hear Grand Prix music every weekend and watch it with their families, to the new generation learning about it.” Just through Netflix.” Hamilton explained. “I felt like my job was really to try to call out the BS. ‘This will never happen.’ This is how it will be. This is how it can happen. Just giving them advice on what racing is really about, what might appeal to them, as racing fans, what It does not attract them.