Monica Barbaro got her big break starring in Top Gun: Maverick as Lieutenant Natasha “Phoenix” Trace, the franchise’s first female fighter pilot. She took on the role of one of the film’s most formidable new characters, but how exactly did she prepare for this role?
Barbaro told Glamour that Tom Cruise developed an intense training program that turned into an amazing bonding experience for the Top Gun: Maverick cast. It included 40 hours of flight training, but the swim training proved to be the most grueling part.
“Everyone did a ton of swim training in case you have to eject over water. It’s not just swimming; you get pushed off this high-rise and have to fall in the pool and unstrap your parachute…I did extra swimming because I was really nervous about that,” revealed Barbaro.
Even though the training was pretty terrifying, the breakout star also said she had a lot of fun. It helped her realize she’s an adrenaline junkie and she overcame some big fears along the way.
Some parts of the grueling flight and water survival training even proved to be easier for Barbaro than her male co-stars. Before turning to acting, she graduated from NYU’s BFA dance program and developed “high pain tolerance” that came in handy during intense flight sequences.
