Val Kilmer death latest: Jim Carrey, Nicolas Cage and Cher lead tributes to Top Gun and Batman Forever star
Hollywood actor, known for his intense performances and iconic roles, dies of pneumonia
Celebrated Hollywood actor Val Kilmer, known for his intense performances and iconic roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever and Heat, died of pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes Kilmer confirmed.
The American actor, also famed for his performances in Willow, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Tombstone and as Jim Morrison in The Doors, died at the age of 65.
Kilmer rose to stardom in the 1980s and 1990s, earning a reputation for his dedication to his craft as well as on-set tensions with directors and co-stars.
“When certain people criticise me for being demanding, I think that’s a cover for something they didn’t do well,” he told the Orange County Register in 2003. “I believe I’m challenging, not demanding, and I make no apologies for that.”
His breakthrough came with the 1984 comedy Top Secret! and the sci-fi comedy Real Genius (1985), but it was his portrayal of “Iceman” in Top Gun (1986) that cemented his star status. Decades later, he reprised the role in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) alongside Tom Cruise in what would be his final film.
Kilmer also took on the challenging role of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), using his own singing voice for the film.
He was married to British actress Joanne Whalley, his co-star in Willow (1988). The couple had two children before divorcing.
Val Kilmer Forever: How the actor turned out to be a superhero in real life too
Following the release of the 2021 documentary Val, about the actor’s life and career, Kevin E G Perry looked back on the actor’s idiosyncratic career and his refusal to be silenced by throat cancer.
Val Kilmer Forever: How the actor turned out to be a superhero in real life too
How Val Kilmer returned as 'Iceman' in 'Top Gun: Maverick'
Kilmer’s last ever performance was reprising his iconic role as Lt Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun: Maverick alongside his friend Tom Cruise.
At the time producer Jerry Bruckheimer told People that Cruise “really wanted” Kilmer to appear in the film.
"He said, 'We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,'" Bruckheimer said. "And he was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he's going to make another Top Gun, Val had to be in it."
Continuing, Bruckheimer said of Kilmer: “He's such a fine actor, and he's such a good individual. We had such a good time on the first one and wanted to bring some of the gang back together again.”
He also noted that the reunion between Cruise and Kilmer “was a really emotional experience for all of us. It was a long time getting there, but we did."
Author Don Winslow pays tribute
The American author Don Winslow, best known for his novels The Power of the Dog and Savages, wrote on X/Twitter: “Rest in peace Val Kilmer. A brilliant actor and a good man.”
Jennifer Tilly recalls meeting Val Kilmer when auditioning for 'The Doors'
Bride of Chucky actor Jennifer Tilly has shared her tribute to Kilmer, recalling a chance encounter with the star when auditioning for a role in The Doors.
She wrote on X/Twitter: “A long time ago, I was auditioning for the movie The Doors It was kind of a cattle call. They paired together potential Jims with potential Pamela‘s. And they were running behind so we were spilling out of the casting office, sitting on the porch, the lawn, and the driveway. All of a sudden, a sixties convertible came screeching up, blaring Doors Music at top volume. And a guy jumped out and strode inside: He had wild hair and he was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight leather pants. We all looked at each other like… Who is this guy? We were more than a little shook by the sheer audacity of his entrance. Well of course it was Val Kilmer and from that minute on, nobody else stood a chance. Rip King.”
Tom Cruise cried during reunion with Val Kilmer on Top Gun: Maverick
In 2023, Tom Cruise revealed just how emotional his reunion with Val Kilmer was on the set of Top Gun: Maverick.
Kilmer, who appeared alongside Cruise in the 1986 original Top Gun, was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. After successfully undergoing chemotherapy and two tracheotomies, Kilmer spoke using a voice box.
When he reunited with Cruise in Maverick, his character, Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, is seen speaking through a computer, due to an unspecified illness.
“I just want to say that was pretty emotional. I’ve known Val for decades,” Cruise said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
“For him to come back and play that character… he’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again. You’re looking at Iceman.”
“I was crying. I got emotional,” Cruise admitted.
Tom Cruise was ‘crying’ during reunion with Val Kilmer on Top Gun: Maverick
Francis Ford Coppola says Kilmer was a 'joy to know'
Francis Ford Coppola who directed Kilmer on the 2011 horror film Twixt shared an image of him with the actor on Instagram.
Film critic Richard Roeper says Kilmer should received an Oscar nomination
The former Chicago Sun-Times film critic wrote on X/Twitter: “Val Kilmer should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Tombstone and for Heat. He was a brilliant presence in some of the most enduring films of his generation. Rest well. Thank you for the incredible work.”
Michael Modine thanks Kilmer for 'Full Metal Jacket' role
The actor Matthew Modine has shared a lengthy tribute to Kilmer on X/Twitter.
Sharing a documentary clip, Modine explained that Kilmer helped him land a role in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket.
He wrote: “RIP Val Kilmer. If it wasn't for our chance encounter at the Source in 1985, I may never have been cast in FULL METAL JACKET. Thanks, Val.”
Val Kilmer’s nostalgic final video before death recalled Batman role
Val Kilmer recalled his Batman role in the final video he shared before his death, aged 65.
Kilmer starred in the Joel Schumacher film alongside Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Tommy Lee Jones and Chris O’Donnell, who played Robin. He only starred in the one Batman film, succeeding Michael Keaton in the role. George Clooney replaced him for Batman & Robin two years later.
In the clip, he can be heard telling his followers while holding the makeshift mask over his face: “I’m ready.” He adds: “It’s been a while.”
Jacob Stolworthy reports below:
Val Kilmer’s hauntingly nostalgic final video before death resurfaces
James Woods praises Kilmer's 'many wonderful performances'
Woods, best known for his roles in Videodrome and Once Upon a Time in America, paid tribute to Kilmer on X/Twitter highlighting his role in the 1993 western Tombstone.
The actor wrote: “His rendition of Doc Holliday in Tombstone was what every actor dreams of achieving. So many wonderful performances. Sad to lose him so soon. RIP Val Kilmer.”
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