Tom Cruise kinda got crapped on by a guy who was in “Top Gun: Maverick,” but whose scenes got cut entirely — and his assessment of the reasoning … hey, it’s Tom’s world.
Manny Jacinto was cast in the film and had lines — but you never really saw this in the final product, and he’s now weighing on why he thinks that happened … talking to GQ about his ‘TGM’ sidelining, especially now that he’s a star in this new ‘Star Wars’ show.
While he sounds bummed he didn’t get much screen time in ‘Top Gun,’ Manny says he ain’t that surprised … noting, “Tom Cruise is writing stories for Tom Cruise.”
Manny elaborates, saying it was flattering his cut caused a public stir — but looking back, it makes sense ’cause he definitely got the sense Tom and his crew had a vision and weren’t afraid to swing the axe to nail it.
MJ explained there was a clear sense of where the film was heading … some guys got the spotlight … while others, like him, suddenly felt more like background scenery.
As we know, the film solidified the A-list status of Glen Powell and Miles Teller — both white actors … and it’s something Manny carefully addresses without putting direct blame on his lack of screen time on the race argument — although, he does touch on it a bit.
Manny points out that as an Asian American — or any POC — he feels you’ve gotta speak up if you want to see more of your story on the big screen … that, or create roles/movies for characters that reflect your experience.
Nonetheless, Manny insists he’s not brewing any bitterness … he’s turning disappointment into fuel, and he’s just thankful for his tiny slice of the ‘Top Gun’ pie.