Danny Ramirez Reveals How Tom Cruise’s Training Shaped His Falcon Flight Scenes in Captain America

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Danny Ramirez transitioned from attending Tom Cruise’s training for Top Gun: Maverick to portraying Anthony Mackie’s wingman in the latest Marvel productions. But what valuable insights did he gain from Hollywood’s renowned stunt performer that aided him in playing the Falcon, a character who can actually fly through the skies, in Captain America: Brave New World? Recently, Ramirez shared some of the knowledge he absorbed while reconnecting with his fellow Maverick cast member Lewis Pullman.

In an interview for Interview Magazine, Danny Ramirez discussed with Pullman his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest release of Captain America, which hit theaters in 2025. When asked about “flying” in Brave New World, the new Falcon actor mentioned Tom Cruise.

It appears that experience from the movie Top Gun influenced your actions. I got the sense you were concerned about how Tom Cruise might evaluate the aerodynamics of your movements. In the behind-the-scenes footage, you maintained correct posture, so any changes to body parts weren’t due to me. I was focused on maintaining aerodynamic position, banking when needed, and positioning my head properly to minimize wind impact on lift, among other things.

In essence, once an actor like Tom Cruise, similar to the Maverick crew, has trained them, they can rely on his continued support. This is because they aspire to be on his good side, as receiving his renowned Christmas cake every year is a cherished tradition for them. For instance, during Danny Ramirez’s stunt filming for his Captain America movie, he was meticulous about maintaining correct form while airborne. He believed that Cruise might scrutinize his technique, and he didn’t want to let him down if their work crossed paths in the future.

During the interview, Pullman, who portrayed Lt. Bob Floyd opposite Ramirez’s Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia and is set to debut in Marvel this summer in Thunderbolts, grasped the meaning immediately. He emphasized that it was crucial for him to avoid experiencing “neck jerks” on set, as Ramirez went on explaining:

It seems that experience from Top Gun shaped Tom’s thinking, so he might watch this, in which case I need to be at my best. On certain days, I was the only one wearing a face expressing the effects of G-forces.

As the cast of “Top Gun: Maverick” agreed to be part of this much-anticipated sequel, there was immense pressure to perform alongside Tom Cruise. To convincingly portray pilots in real fighter jets, they underwent three months of flight training. This enabled them to sit in the backseat of actual F/A-18F planes, mimicking flying themselves, while working with real pilots. This rigorous training included learning how to endure high G-forces, a demanding task that could cause fainting during the process.

Explore behind-the-scenes insights into the creation of “Captain America: Brave New World” by reading our interviews with Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez and others. The film is now showing in cinemas, and fans can anticipate a new “Top Gun”-like album within the MCU due to Lewis Pullman’s role in “Thunderbolts.” This exciting addition to the series will premiere in theaters on May 2.

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2025-03-02 03:07