Who played the lead role in the Hollywood film ‘‘Top Gun’’, portraying the iconic fighter pilot character?

Introduction / Context:
Hollywood films and their leading actors often appear in general knowledge and entertainment questions. ‘‘Top Gun’’ is a highly popular action film about fighter pilots, and its main character became closely linked with the actor who played him. Recognising this pairing is straightforward if you know famous movie roles.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the Hollywood movie ‘‘Top Gun’’.
• It asks for the lead actor in this film.
• The options are Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, and Nicolas Cage.

Concept / Approach:
Tom Cruise is the actor who played the lead role of a young, daring fighter pilot in ‘‘Top Gun’’. The film significantly boosted his career and solidified his image as an action star. Harrison Ford is linked with roles in ‘‘Star Wars’’ and ‘‘Indiana Jones’’. Mel Gibson is associated with films like ‘‘Braveheart’’ and ‘‘Lethal Weapon’’. Nicolas Cage has his own set of popular films such as ‘‘Face/Off’’ and ‘‘National Treasure’’, but none of them is ‘‘Top Gun’’.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key film title ‘‘Top Gun’’. Step 2: Recall that the iconic pilot character ‘‘Maverick’’ is played by Tom Cruise. Step 3: Match Tom Cruise with the film's high-speed aerial action scenes and navy pilot storyline. Step 4: Eliminate Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, and Nicolas Cage, who are associated with different famous film franchises. Step 5: Choose ‘‘Tom Cruise’’ as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can visualise movie posters or clips: the image of a young Tom Cruise in aviator sunglasses and a flight jacket is strongly connected to ‘‘Top Gun’’. This mental picture confirms that Tom Cruise, not the other actors listed, is the star of the film.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Harrison Ford: Famous for ‘‘Star Wars’’ and ‘‘Indiana Jones’’, but not for ‘‘Top Gun’’.
Mel Gibson: Linked to ‘‘Braveheart’’ and ‘‘Lethal Weapon’’, among others.
Nicolas Cage: Known for action and adventure films, but not associated with this particular fighter pilot role.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates might choose any popular action star without recalling specific films. The better strategy is to consciously match actor–film pairs: ‘‘Tom Cruise – Top Gun’’, ‘‘Harrison Ford – Indiana Jones’’, ‘‘Mel Gibson – Braveheart’’, and so on.

Final Answer:
The lead role in the Hollywood film ‘‘Top Gun’’ was played by Tom Cruise.