‘Top Gun’ Star Kelly McGillis Reveals Why She Left Hollywood: ‘I Don’t Really Keep in Touch With Anybody’

People are once again talking about Top Gun more than 30 years since it was released all thanks to the release of its sequel’s trailer — however, one person won’t be seen in the anticipated film: Kelly McGillis.

The 62-year-old was recently asked if she will be part of the sequel’s promotional events, even though she was not asked to be a part of the sequel. “You know what, I don’t know how to answer that because one, it hasn’t happened,” the actress told ET. “Two, if and when it did happen, I would have to assess where I am, what I’m doing, what’s going on … I can’t project what I would or wouldn’t do in the future. I have no idea because I don’t know where I’ll be.”

“Movies are odd things. I don’t really keep in touch with anybody,” she continued. “I think I’ve spoken to a couple of people occasionally, but the truth is, movies are very odd work situations because you have a lot of people who come together from all different parts of the world.”

Kelly played Tom Cruise‘s love interest in the original, landing on everyone’s radar in a heartbeat. However, these days the star spends her time away from the spotlight, revealing that she stepped away from Hollywood and “got sober” and that she was “on a journey to figure out who the hell” she was.

“It was very challenging for me to have any kind of sense of self or self-identity or real self-worth other than what I did for a living,” the Witness costar admitted to the outlet. “And it just — it didn’t become a priority; what became the priority initially was raising my girls and being the best sober parent I could be.”

She continued, “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.”

Kelly, who revealed that she was diagnosed with alpha one antitrypsin disorder five years ago, is happy with her current position in life. “I am a home person. I’m really rooted in my home life … I can’t remember the last time I worked,” she explained. “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.”

While we are eager to see Top Gun: Maverick in theaters when it is released June 26, 2020, we are also excited to see the next positive steps that Kelly takes in her life!

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