Some auditions test your acting. Others test whether you’re ready to survive the movie itself. When Monica Barbaro walked into her Top Gun: Maverick audition, she never expected to be asked, “Are you claustrophobic?” Years later, as the Top Gun franchise continues to dominate pop culture, the actress recalled the bizarre conversation that first hinted at just how demanding the blockbuster would become.

As it turned out, that unexpected question was only the beginning of one of Hollywood’s most demanding blockbuster journeys.

Speaking on Happy Sad Confused with Josh Horowitz, Monica Barbaro looked back at the unusual audition that eventually landed her the role of naval aviator Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), her only appearance in the franchise so far. Instead of asking her to perform scenes, director Joseph Kosinski wanted to know whether she was claustrophobic and if she could swim, leaving the actress puzzled about what either question had to do with a fighter-jet movie.

"Are you claustrophobic?" I was like, "No." And he was like, "Are you able to swim?" I said, Yes. It's just Top Gun, right?" Barbaro told  Josh Horowitz.

Further, Barbaro revealed that Kosinski explained that Top Gun: Maverick required its cast to undergo intensive aviation survival training, including emergency ejection drills and water-survival exercises. Although Barbaro admitted she was not a particularly confident swimmer, the challenge only made her more eager to join the film. Realizing she might never get another opportunity like it, her immediate reaction was “Cool, go, go, go.”

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While, Phoenix may have joined the skies only once, but the Top Gun is showing no signs of landing anytime soon.

With the franchise reaching new heights, Paramount has already confirmed that Top Gun 3 is officially in active development. Tom Cruise is set to return as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, while legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer and screenwriter Ehren Kruger are also back to shape the next mission. Although Monica Barbaro’s return as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace has yet to be officially announced, fans remain hopeful she’ll once again suit up as the franchise prepares for another high-stakes flight, with the sequel currently targeting a release around 2028.

However, Top Gun: Maverick became a global phenomenon upon its 2022 release, soaring past $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office to become Tom Cruise’s highest-grossing film ever. Beyond its commercial success, the sequel earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won the Oscar for Best Sound, cementing its place as one of the defining blockbusters of the decade.

 From unexpected survival questions to intensive flight training, the blockbuster tested its cast long before they ever stepped into the cockpit. 

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Would you like to see Monica Barbaro reprise her role as Phoenix in Top Gun 3? Let us know in the comments.