Big screen blockbuster Top Gun Maverick has shattered all box office predictions hauling in nigh on $500 million in its opening week.
And while Maverick is the one with his name in the title, his Top Gun co-stars are feeling that loving feeling for the first time.
Newcomer Danny Ramirez plays Fanboy in the film and when we caught up with him at his Top Gun: Maverick world premiere in San Diego last month, not even he could believe he was there.
Newcomer Danny Ramirez is Fanboy and when we caught up with him at his Top Gun Maverick world premiere, not even he could believe he was there.
"I keep rubbing my feet on the red carpet and pinching myself.. this doesn't feel real," he said.
As we know Maverick has been a long time coming, Ramirez filled in some of that time in New Zealand.
"New Zealand was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life - omg that was a year and two months ago," he said.
Winding the COVID-19 clock back a year, Ramirez sat down with us in Auckland and had just wrapped on a film here.
When asked about his Top Gun audition, he had a rather startling confession.
"It actually came across at a moment where I was like, I might not be able to do it because I'm afraid of flying," Ramirez said.
"The training schedule is as follows, we will get you comfortable in the Cessna then up to the extra 300 which is a stunt plane, hi G-pulls and all that to get you used to it, to then graduate to jets. And I was like ok, what?"
Luckily for Ramirez and Top Gun: Maverick audiences, he felt the fear and did it anyway, and has been pinching himself every since.
