Val Kilmer originally turned down the opportunity to play the role of the Iceman in “Top Gun”. However, Tony Scott wanted him in the film so badly that he tracked him down and convinced him to play the now-iconic part of the gum-chewing, Maverick-hating pilot.
Kilmer ad-libbed an iconic memorable moment when he famously coughs out b*llsh*t in the hangar scene. What fans might not realize is that the line wasn’t originally in the script, which seems pretty fitting for a script that experienced so many changes (from the very first script until after the film wrapped).
More Love Scenes
The love scene that occurred between Tom Cruise and actress Kelly McGillis wasn't filmed until after filming for the movie had already wrapped. After initial test screenings, moviegoers complained that there wasn't a love scene. They felt like they needed more of a reason to be convinced of the feelings between the two actors. The company was quick to agree.
If you pay close attention, you will notice that McGillis's hair is a bit darker in the scene. This is because she had already been working on another film for which she had to dye her hair darker. To conceal her darker hair, the scene is tinted blue. You can also see in the added-on scene that the timing is off if you take a close look at the longer length of Tom Cruise’s hair, especially noting how long it hangs in the front. Despite the clear changes, the love scene worked its magic on moviegoers and convinced them of Cruise's and McGillis's feelings for one another in the film.
Shirtless Scenes Came Later
It wasn't only the love scenes that were later added to the film to satisfy moviegoers' appetite for romance. The film needed one more thing to attract more females to the theater. Producers did that by way of shirtless scenes featuring Maverick and his fellow "Top Gun" officers.
After filming for "Top Gun" had already wrapped up, the sport, bro-mantic locker room, and volleyball scenes that feature Maverick and his colleagues without shirts were added. The volleyball scene has been parodied and often mocked for its not-so-hidden sexuality. Director Tony Scott knew that people would be aroused by the sight of shirtless Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, and Rick Rossovich and so he eagerly put the film's pretty boy pilots on full display.
Meg and Anthony
Meg Ryan played the role of Goose’s wife in "Top Gun". While she only had a few scenes, the scenes she was in were very memorable and fans of the film loved her. After Goose'spassing in the film, her grief was a big part of humanizing Maverick and showed the depth of the pain that he was trying to control and hide.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, and unknown to much of the cast, things were getting hot and heavy between Meg and Anthony; they had secretly started a relationship. Their relationship intensified very fast and they soon moved in together. It was even reported that Anthony Edwards proposed to meg Ryan but she turned the proposal down. Their relationship lasted only for one year, from 1986 to 1987.
Two Officers
While Kelly McGillis’ character Charlie was always written as Maverick’s love interest in the movie "Top Gun", in the original script, she was supposed to be an officer. It's obvious to see why the scriptwriters would have wanted this to be the storyline; can you imagine the conflict underlying the relationship between two officers falling in love with each other in such a high-stakes career environment?
The Navy, which was very involved in the writing of the script, and assisted the moviemakers in staying within the budget, put its foot down. They wouldn't approve of a script that involved two officers becoming involved. The U.S. military prohibits fraternization between officers and enlisted personnel. Because filmmakers depended greatly on the Navy's involvement, they rewrote Charlie's profession to that of a Navy consultant who assesses pilot performance.