Tom Cruise‘s near-death experience during Top Gun stunt took place in 1986, marking a major turning point in his storied career as a daredevil actor determined to do his own stunts. The episode, which nearly cost Cruise his life during the making of the film, established his reputation for taking extraordinary risks even at the very start of his Hollywood legacy.
Beginnings of Hollywood’s Risk-Taker
Tom Cruise’s association with high-stakes stunts has become legendary, but his journey into doing his own intense action sequences officially started on the set of the 1986 blockbuster, Top Gun. Even though Cruise was already recognized for his range in acting roles, it was his willingness to push physical and professional limits in action scenes that set him apart from other actors. This drive led him to iconic moments—riding a motorcycle off a cliff, scaling a skyscraper, and hanging off aircraft—and made the world familiar with Cruise’s daring exploits on set.
In Top Gun, where Cruise brought the character Maverick to life, he insisted on performing a critical water scene himself, not knowing it would put him in grave danger. The production, shot nearly four decades ago, became the site of a life-threatening incident that could have made Cruise’s first big stunt turn out to be his last.

A Brush With Death in the Ocean
Behind the seamless adrenaline-fueled sequences that Cruise delivers on screen, few realize the intensity and risk involved in filming such stunts. The most perilous moment during Top Gun came while capturing a tragic scene in the ocean, where Maverick holds his fallen friend Goose (played by Anthony Edwards). The fictional crash into the ocean, which viewers remember for its emotional weight, was far more dangerous for Cruise in real life than for his character.
During filming, Cruise’s parachute started collecting water, turning a controlled shoot into a near-fatal situation that could have easily gone unnoticed by the busy crew. As recounted by fellow Top Gun actor Barry Tubb:
“Cruise came as close to dying as anybody on a set”
—Barry Tubb, Top Gun actor
While the crew paused to refill a camera, a vigilant frogman onboard a chopper realized something was wrong. Tubb described the incident in detail:
“They were refilling the camera or something, and luckily one of the frogmen in the chopper saw his chute ballooning out. He jumped in and cut Cruise loose right before he sank. They would have never found him. He would have been at the bottom of the ocean.”
—Barry Tubb, Top Gun actor
Thanks to quick reflexes and teamwork, Cruise was rescued moments before he would have disappeared beneath the waves, a fate that would have changed Hollywood history. This disaster-in-the-making did not discourage Cruise; instead, it set the tone for his approach to all ensuing projects.
The Relentless Pursuit of Thrills
While most performers would be rattled by such a scare, Cruise’s determination to outdo himself only intensified. He refused to be deterred despite having encountered a situation so dire that, according to those present, the outcome could easily have been fatal. Over the past forty years, he has refused to play it safe, instead escalating the scale and danger of his stunts, much to the awe and concern of colleagues and audiences alike.
The death-defying Ocean incident in Top Gun was not the only tragedy that occurred during the film’s production. While Cruise survived his ordeal, real-life pilot Art Scholl lost his life while working on aerial shots for the movie. The risks taken both by actors and crew were genuine and, for some, irreversible.
Raising the Stakes: Mission: Impossible’s Most Dangerous Scene
Cruise’s commitment to authenticity did not fade after Top Gun, but instead grew with each film, especially in the long-running Mission: Impossible series. In recent years, stunts in these films have escalated to extremes rarely attempted in mainstream cinema. For Cruise, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible became an artistic goal, and nowhere is this clearer than in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
The latest installment involved one of Cruise’s most hazardous scenes yet. Playing Ethan Hunt, Cruise performed a stunt that required him to hang off a vintage Boeing Stearman biplane in flight, thousands of feet above South Africa. The risks were not just calculated movie magic; the physical toll was so great that Cruise described losing consciousness multiple times during the shoot. He explained the ordeal during an interview with Empire magazine:
“When you stick your face out, going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you’re not getting oxygen. So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit.”
—Tom Cruise, actor
This willingness to embrace danger in pursuit of realism is rare, with many actors relying on stunt doubles or special effects. For Cruise, however, it is now a signature part of his craft. The demanding sequence tested not just physical skills, but also his ability to adapt and survive in perilous environments, further cementing his reputation as Hollywood’s leading risk-taker.
The Enduring Impact of Cruise’s Daredevil Spirit
From his first major stunt on Top Gun that nearly ended in tragedy, to more recent feats that threaten his personal safety, Tom Cruise’s approach to filmmaking has fundamentally influenced the action genre, Hollywood production standards, and audience expectations. These episodes serve as reminders that behind each blockbuster moment, there is significant, real danger involved—and that sometimes, even superstar resilience is all that stands between glory and catastrophe.
Looking ahead, Tom Cruise shows no signs of slowing down, continuing to heighten both the spectacle and the risk with each new movie. For fans and colleagues alike, his ongoing commitment to do his own stunts is a testament to his passion for storytelling and the relentless pursuit of authenticity, ensuring his place as a singular force in global cinema.