Kelly McGillis is a well-established American Actress famously known for her roles in movies such as Top Gun(1986), The House on Carroll Street (1988) and many more.
Early Life
Born on the 9th of July 1957, Kelly McGillis was the eldest among the three daughters of Virginia Joan and Donald Manson McGillis. Her father was a general practitioner of medicine and her mother was a simple homemaker. She was born in the Southern California suburbs of Newport Beach and spent a major part of her childhood in Los Angeles.
Education
McGillis skipped the traditional route of attaining a high school degree and opted for a GED (General Equivalency Diploma).
Deciding to concentrate her attention on pursuing a career as an actress, she travelled to Manhattan to study at the esteemed Juilliard School, a prestigious institution that produced various well-recognized actors and artists.
Career
McGillis worked minimum-wage jobs to support her dream of an acting career. Soon her dream took root through her roles in various movies such as Reuben Reuben(1983), The Witness (1985), The Accused(1988), etc.
Her name reached heights when she acted in various box office hits. She also starred in many theatrical plays such as “The Duchess of Malfi”,” The Night of the Iguana”,” As You Like It”, etc.
The modern generation knows her by her latest hit projects, “Top Gun:Maverick (2022), Amor Sin Condicion(2017), etc.
She owns a restaurant called Kelly’s Caribbean Bar, Grill and Brewery.
Successful Life
While attempting to cement her feet in the acting industry, Kelly juggled numerous other jobs to meet her daily expenses too.
During one such job where she was a waiter, she managed to grab a few minor stage roles. This helped her land a supporting part in an Academy Award-nominated movie named Reuben Reuben(1983) which further opened doors to more TV casting opportunities.
Her acting career reached the bonanza when she was cast opposite Harrison Ford in the Box Office Hit Witness(1985). With this milestone, she gained the attention of many producers in Hollywood.
She starred in the movie Top Gun(1986), the highest-grossing film of that year.
Despite her many accomplishments at the box office, McGillis stayed loyal to her Juilliard theatre roots. She took part in various stage roles pertaining to plays of “Don Juan”,”Twelfth Night” and many more.As of today, her hardworking nature helped her complete the national stage tour of “The Graduate “ and open a restaurant in Pennsylvania.
Net Worth
Kelly Mcgillis has a Net Worth of $4 million.
Fun Facts
- Kelly has two daughters with Fred Tillman whom she married in 1989 but divorced in 2002.
- McGillis and her ex-husband Tillman once owned “The Centurion”,a 110-foot schooner worth $1.5million. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire in 1996 in Florida.
- McGillis came out as a lesbian in 2009.
- She has taught acting at the New York Studio for Stage and Screen.
Conclusion
Kelly McGillis has worked hard to set up a promising career for herself. From working minimum wage jobs to earning a promising career in acting, McGillis proved that hard work and consistency will ultimately yield the stability she has earned today in life.