#40: Cecil’s Cafe
Tom Cruise handpicked Joseph Kosinski to direct the new Top Gun: Maverick, which came out in 2022. The Iowa native incorporated a little hometown cameo in the new film, and fellow Iowans immediately noticed! In the film, there is a brief reference to Cecil’s Cafe, a beloved greasy spoon diner in Marshalltown, Iowa.
Residents of Marshalltown were ecstatic and felt an immediate connection with the director and his film. The town even made personalized shirts that read “Top Gun: Marshalltown,” which is totally awesome. Cecil’s Cafe closed in 2018, and its former owner, Gordie Johnson, has since passed away. However, the family still resides in Marshalltown and is absolutely thrilled by the reference. Gordie’s wife, Deb, told the local newspaper that if Gordie were alive today, he would be over the moon about Cecil’s silver screen debut.