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'Tom Cruise Is Writing Stories For Tom Cruise': Manny Jacinto Opens Up About His Lines Being Removed From Top Gun Maverick
Star Wars series, The Acolyte's star Manny Jacinto shared his experience on working beside Tom Cruise. He talked about why it didn't shock him when his lines were removed from Top Gun: Maverick.
Manny Jacinto made a splash in Star Wars as Qimir in The Acolyte series. His portrayal of the charming Sith Lord has quickly become a fan favorite in the Star Wars universe.
In Top Gun: Maverick, Jacinto was given the role of LT Billy 'Fritz' Avalone, but his lines were deleted and he remained mostly in the background scenes. Recently, in an interview, he opened up about his experience working in the big-budget Tom Cruise movie.
Manny Jacinto opens up about his lines being cut from Tom Cruise movie
It is true that The Acolyte gave Jacinto his first significant taste of Hollywood spotlight, but he had been famous from The Good Place and Nine Perfect Strangers as well. Although he did not have any lines, his name was on the cast list for Tom Cruise's Top Gun: Maverick, where he acted as LT Billy 'Fritz' Avalone.
Manny Jacinto was aware that his scenes would be cut from Top Gun: Maverick because he understood that the movie was becoming more interested in other characters. While being responsible for Glen Powell and Miles Teller’s careers, this film did nothing to improve or promote Jacinto’s presence on screen much.
Nonetheless, he remained positive about the experience, appreciating the opportunity to see a major film production in action and to observe Tom Cruise at work. He opened up to GQ about his lines being omitted from the movie, saying, "It’s flattering that there was a little bit of an outcry, but it wasn’t shocking to me."
Manny Jacinto is grateful for his learning experience during filming Top Gun: Maverick
He said to the outlet, "You get to see this huge machine at work, see how Tom Cruise works, and you get to be a small part of this huge franchise."
In another 2022 interview, Jacinto recalled being cast in 2018 for Top Gun sequel and undergoing months of flight training with real military pilots. It felt like being a superhero for him during these sessions which allowed him interact with Navy and Air Force personnel who were mostly Filipino, something which he found very meaningful.
However, his diminished role only dawned on him when the film premiered. Reflecting on the constant battle for representation, Manny Jacinto stated, "at the end of the day, Tom Cruise is writing stories for Tom Cruise. It’s up to us — Asian Americans, people of color — to be that. We can’t wait for somebody else to do it. If we want bigger stories out there, we have to make them for ourselves."
He took inspiration from this realization, knowing that Asians and people of color must create larger narratives for themselves rather than waiting for someone else to make them.
ALSO READ: Star Wars: The Acolyte's Finale Cameo Explained; Everything You Missed
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