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It’s been a while since Top Gun: Maverick roared through cinemas, but Lewis Hamilton still hasn’t shaken off the one that got away. The seven-time Formula One champion had a shot at being in the film as an actual fighter pilot. But he turned it down in a move he now calls one of the most gutting decisions of his career. Why? Tight F1 schedules and zero acting experience, talk about bad timing.
The Blockbuster Role Lewis Hamilton Still Wishes He Hadn’t Passed On
In a 2024 GQ interview, Lewis Hamilton recalled the story behind the blockbuster role that slipped through his fingers. When Top Gun: Maverick entered production, Tom Cruise connected Hamilton with director Joseph Kosinski for a role. But the timing couldn’t have been worse. Hamilton was knee-deep in F1 chaos, fighting for the championship title against Sebastian Vettel. The race schedule was brutal, and the movie shoot just didn’t fit. Add to that he’d never taken an acting class in his life, and the role became a no-go.
“Firstly, I hadn’t even had, like, an acting lesson,” Lewis Hamilton told GQ. “And I don’t want to be the one that lets this movie down. And then secondly, I just really didn’t have the time to dedicate to it. I remember having to tell Joe and Tom—and it broke my heart,” he added. “And then I regretted it, naturally, when they show me the movie and it’s: ‘It could’ve been me!'”
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How Hamilton Swapped Fighter Jets For Film Sets With Brad Pitt
Missing Top Gun clearly stung, but Hamilton didn’t let that be the end of the story. Instead, he steered that screen dream in a new direction. He teamed up again with Joseph Kosinski for a film that hits much closer to home: Formula One. Brad Pitt’s leading the charge on screen, and Hamilton is shining as producer and consultant.
“My point was: Guys, this movie needs to be so authentic,” Hamilton told GQ. “There’s two different fan groups that we have—like, the old originals, who from the day they’re born, hearing the Grand Prix music every weekend and watching with their families, to the new generation that just learned about it today through Netflix.”
So while he didn’t get to pull G-forces in a fighter jet, Lewis Hamilton’s still making his mark on the big screen just with pit stops instead of dogfights. His passion for racing and movies finally clicked, and fans can expect a film that feels as real as race day.
For more such stories, check out Hollywood News
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