Washington DC, May 19 -- Producer Jerry Bruckheimer and screenwriter Jack Epps Jr. have recalled the unusual way actor Tom Cruise was convinced to star in the 1986 blockbuster 'Top Gun', according to People.

In an interview, Epps revealed that Cruise was always the first choice to play Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the action drama directed by Tony Scott.

"I was a Tom Cruise fan at that time -- still am -- so we wrote this with Tom Cruise in mind as Maverick," Epps remembered. "I loved his movies: he's such an energetic actor, he connects with the audience." Cruise's movies at that point included 1983's The Outsiders, All the Right Moves and Risky Business, which helped cement him as a movie star, as per the outlet.

At the tim...