Yahoo News Jennifer Connelly 'Kept Peeking Over' at Prince William and Kate Middleton's Reactions to Top Gun
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Prince William and Kate Middleton
Jennifer Connelly was curious to find out if her latest film got the royal stamp of approval from Kate Middleton and Prince William.
On Thursday, the royal couple attended the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, where the film's star Tom Cruise introduced them to the cast on the red carpet. During the screening, Connelly made sure to see if William, 39, and Kate, 40, were enjoying the movie.
"I kept peeking over to check their reactions, and they seemed to be having a great time," the actress, 51, told PEOPLE at the New York City premiere on Monday.
The meeting was a full-circle moment for Connelly, who met Prince William's late mother Princess Diana at the London premiere of Labyrinth in 1986.
Mauro Carraro/Shutterstock Princess Diana and Jennifer Connelly
Jay Ellis, who plays Lt. Reuben "Payback" Fitch in the film, added that it was "absolutely amazing" to meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — especially against an incredible backdrop.
"They came out and greeted us and with a jet standing right behind us, the craziest way to meet the royals," the actor says. "As you can imagine, they were absolutely amazing, obviously huge fans of the original film."
Ellis, 40, even encouraged Kate, who he described as "super down to earth," to check out the jet for herself.
He says, "I asked Kate if she would ever fly, and she was like, ah, you know, 'I told my grandpa that I would fly one day because he flew,' and I was like, 'Oh, then you gotta get up in the jet.' And she was like, 'Well, I'm a little busy right now.' And I was like, 'Okay, you're busy with your royal duties. I get it.'"
Monica Schipper/Getty Images Jay Ellis and Jennifer Connelly
For the London premiere, Kate wore a black floor-length Roland Mouret gown with a white off-the-shoulder neckline shown off by her long hair, which she wore down but tucked behind her ears, which also highlighted her statement earrings.
Prince William, who was a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot himself, went with a classic black tuxedo and bow tie — but had some fun with the theme of the night via his shoes. He sported Crockett & Jones loafers embroidered with F-18 planes!
Prince William and Kate Middleton
However, the London premiere was not the first time Prince William and Kate saw the highly anticipated film. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were reportedly treated to a special screening of the Top Gun sequel at the invitation of Cruise, who had heard William was a fan of the original 1986 movie.
"We have a lot in common," Cruise said of the royal at the premiere, according to My London. "We both love England and we're both aviators, we both love flying."
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Unfortunately, the couple's three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — did not join their parents for the exciting red carpet moment.
"It's a school night," Kate was heard saying during the event.
