Credit: Mulderville
When the world found out Tom Cruise and his crew were bringing Top Gun back to life in 2022, no one knew what to expect. Rumors swirled for months that it would be the full cast from the 1986 Top Gun movie. Other rumors suggested only Tom Cruise would return. No one knew what to expect. How would this movie come about? And more importantly, how would it even compare to the first? Now that it’s been in theaters for more than 16 weeks and has broken many records, it’s easy to see how it all worked out. However, it’s the story of Rooster, Top Gun’s newest character, that people want to learn more about. Played by Miles Teller, fans want to know how he got into the character and how Rooster, Top Gun’s favorite character, was born. Fans also want to know why Miles Teller did not want to play the role of Rooster.
The Story of Goose Comes First
You cannot discuss the story of Rooster, Top Gun: Maverick’s new hero, without taking a trip down memory lane. We go all the way back to 1986 when the original Top Gun was released. In 1986, we were introduced to Lieutenant Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. Goose was a naval flight officer, and he was always Maverick’s RIO (radio intercept officer, for those unfamiliar with the acronym). Goose was not just his partner, however. Goose and Maverick were the best of friends. Maverick was a little wilder than his friend Goose, but Goose also had a lot more to live for.
Goose was married. His wife was Carole Bradshaw, and together, they were very proud parents. Their little boy, Bradley Bradshaw, was a toddler in the first movie. During the first movie, a horrible accident occurs, and Goose is killed. Maverick was involved in the accident with his best friend, but he survived. It was a horrible moment, and it is one that fans were shocked by. Leaving behind his wife and son, Goose died, and fans knew he would not be back.
Credit: Landmark Cinemas Canada
The Story of Rooster, Top Gun: Maverick’s New Character
Like his father in the first movie, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw goes by his nickname. He’s the grown-up son of Goose, the man who died when Rooster was only four. He has almost no memory of his late father, but he knew he wanted to follow in his footsteps to become a fighter pilot. Rooster is introduced to fans in Maverick as a naval aviator trained at TOPGUN.
The character is played by Miles Teller, who was initially unsure if he even wanted to be part of this movie. You see, the young actor was not thrilled with the script. He said it was in bad shape when it was given to him, and he did not think the movie would work. After a lot of consideration, he still did not think he would take part. However, it was Tom Cruise who convinced the young and relatively unknown actor to take on the role of Rooster – and we can see now that Cruise was not wrong to do this.
Miles Teller Let Tom Cruise Be the Man who He Trusted
To understand Rooster, Top Gun: Maverick’s new character, you have to understand the dynamic. This is the connection from Maverick to the original Top Gun. However, the character of Rooster is still young. He lost his father. He did not get to know his father, and he has some residual blame in his heart. That blame is aimed at his late father’s best friend and the man who survived the accident that killed his father. The relationship between Maverick and Rooster is strained at best. When Tom Cruise approached Miles Teller, he still did not think the script was good. He’d already worked on a script he did not love (the Divergent Series) and didn’t want to do that again.
Credit: Entertainment Tonight
However, when Tom Cruise tells you that you need to do something, you do it. He promised the young Teller that the movie would be good, and he was not wrong. At the time, Teller chose to put his faith and trust in Tom Cruise, and he is happy he did. Tom convinced him the final script would be a good one, and he delivered. Looking back, Miles Teller cannot believe that he didn’t want to be part of this movie, and it’s humorous to him. His faith in Tom Cruise was well-placed, and now he is also one of the biggest stars in the world. There you have it. Now you know why Miles Teller didn’t want to be Rooster, Top Gun’s new guy, and the kid who was following his father’s footsteps.
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