On December 17, Tom Cruise was awarded the U.S. Navy’s highest civilian honor, the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award, at a ceremony held at the Longcross Film Studios in Chertsey, Surrey. The 62-year-old actor received the award from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who commended Cruise for his long-standing advocacy for the Navy and Marine Corps and his inspirational impact on both military personnel and their families. Cruise, in his acceptance speech, expressed his admiration for servicemen and women, acknowledging the importance of leadership and service in his life.
Cruise’s connection to the Navy is most notably tied to his portrayal of U.S. Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the Top Gun films. The original Top Gun (1986) became a massive global hit, and its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick (2022), achieved even greater success, grossing over $1.4 billion worldwide. The films have had a significant impact on Navy recruitment, particularly after the original’s release, which reportedly led to an 8.3 percent increase in Navy enlistments. Although the widely quoted figure of a 500 percent increase was debunked, the boost in recruitment remained a notable result of the film’s popularity.
In 2022, the U.S. military once again hoped that Top Gun: Maverick would reignite interest in military service, particularly with the Air Force leveraging the movie’s success. Recruiting stations were set up near theaters, and promotional videos were shown before screenings. The Navy reported a successful recruitment effort for the fiscal year 2024, aided in part by the movie’s influence.
A third Top Gun movie is rumored to be in development, although specific details are scarce. Miles Teller, who played Bradley Bradshaw in the sequel, recently shared his excitement for the third installment but noted that Cruise would inform him when it was time to get back into shape for filming.