Glen Powell feared he would die in helicopter crash with Tom Cruise

Glen Powell feared his life would be overlooked when Tom Cruise pretended to crash the helicopter they were riding in together.

The 35-year-old actor befriended Tom, 61, after they worked together on the smash film Top Gun: Maverick.

But when Tom flew Glen in his helicopter over London to film reshoots of the 2022 blockbuster at Pinewood Studios, the younger actor's life flashed before his eyes when the Hollywood titan pulled a cruel joke.

Reflecting on their helicopter flight together, Glen told GQ, "Tom goes 'oh no, oh no,' and he starts dropping the helicopter over London... I was like, 'Am I about to be the unnamed guy that dies with Tom in a smoking hole in the middle of London?'"

In the same interview, Glen explained that he insisted on changes being made to his Top Gun character before he would accept the role.

He initially auditioned for the role of Rooster, but the part went to Miles Teller, and Glen was instead offered the character of Hangman.

However, the original script depicted the character, then known as Slayer, as a pilot who gained their position as a result of nepotism.

Glen recalled, "I said, 'If I were editing this movie, I would cut him out immediately.'"

He worked with the creative team to update the character, saying, "What we were talking about is, how can Hangman service the story and give the flavour of the original Top Gun that you need?... I said my piece to Tom about what I do and what I do well, and he listened. Tom's a listener. He listens to the crew members, he listens to his collaborators, and he hears people."