“Tom Cruise Is Writing Stories for Tom Cruise”: Manny Jacinto on His Axed ‘Top Gun’ Lines

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As a gamer and a huge fan of Hollywood movies, I was excited when I heard Manny Jacinto was in Top Gun: Maverick. His role as LT Billy “Fritz” Avalone sounded intriguing, especially since he’s making waves in the industry with his current role in The Acolyte. But boy, was I disappointed when I saw the final cut of the movie and realized Jacinto’s character had been almost entirely removed!

I was looking forward to seeing Manny Jacinto’s performances in “Top Gun: Maverick” this summer. However, I was surprised and disappointed to find out that his entire dialogue was removed from the final cut of the movie.

The actor, generating buzz for his portrayal as a Sith Lord in “The Acolyte,” Star Wars’ spin-off, previously appeared in Tom Cruise’s billion-dollar blockbuster. However, despite undergoing rigorous fighter pilot training and daily gym workouts, Jacinto, a Canadian of Filipino-Chinese heritage, was dismayed to find that all his lines had been removed from the final cut. When the movie hit theaters, he recognized himself only in brief background appearances.

Supporters of Jacinto were puzzled – wasn’t this the very movie that propelled Glen Powell and Miles Teller into global fame? Yet the actor remained unsurprised. He explained to GQ Magazine, “I was flattered by the reaction, but it didn’t come as a surprise to me.”

On set, there was an intuition that the film’s focus was shifting towards other actors, with less attention given to our scenes. Yet, despite this, it remained an enjoyable experience. Witnessing the intricacies of such a colossal production, observing Tom Cruise up close, and becoming a minuscule piece in this massive cinematic universe were privileges not easily lost.

He did admit feeling disappointed about the omission, but found it was good “fuel” as an Asian actor. “At the end of the day, Tom Cruise is writing stories for Tom Cruise,” he said. “It’s up to us – Asian Americans, people of color – to be that [for ourselves]. We can’t wait for somebody else to do it. If we want bigger stories out there, we have to make them for ourselves.”

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2024-07-18 14:52