Actor Val Kilmer, star of Batman Forever (1995), Top Gun (1986), and The Doors (1991), where he threw himself into the role of singer Jim Morrison, has died in Los Angeles. He was 65 years old.
His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, announced that the actor passed away from pneumonia, having spent his final moments surrounded by family and friends. Kilmer had previously undergone two tracheotomies to treat the throat cancer that he was diagnosed with in 2014, and had since made a full recovery.
Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, Kilmer was surrounded by stars and would-be stars in his neighborhood and at school. At 17, he became the youngest student admitted to Julliard, as teachers quickly caught on to his charm and abilities.
Kilmer made his Broadway debut in 1983 in The Slab Boys, also starring Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon. His big screen break came a year later with Top Secret! (1984). His rockstar-like physique led him to land the roles of Jim Morrison in The Doors and a spiritual guide in the shape of the ghost of Elvis in True Romance (1993). Though he’s had some undeniably alluring looks, it was his seemingly unpredictable nature that truly made him embody these figures.
With a roster of unforgettable characters he’s played, there are two major roles in movies that are standouts, etched into people’s minds and memories. These two include his role in Top Gun (1986) where he played Iceman, enemy to Tom Cruise's leading character in a film that has been wrapped in nostalgia ever since (even prompting a 2022 sequel where he made a cameo); and Batman Forever (1995), where he played the title superhero after Michael Keaton and before George Clooney. Though movie has long been considered one the weakest entries of the franchise, Kilmer’s involvement remains iconic.
Due to the intensity he brought into his acting process, he was often described as difficult to work with by co-stars and directors—something he agreed to later in life. “In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors, and other collaborators to honor the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio,” Kilmer wrote in his memoir, I'm Your Huckleberry, published in 2020.
But for all the tension, he was also praised for his range and commitment to his roles. “What Val has as an actor is something that the really, really great actors have, which is they make everything sound like an improvisation,” playwright David Mamet told The New York Times. Actor Josh Brolin, a friend of Kilmer, paid tribute to the late actor on Instagram with the message, “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There's not a lot left of those.”
In 2021, Kilmer was the subject of a documentary titled Val. Made up of decades of footage of family movies and time on set, the film explores the career and legacy of Kilmer as a misunderstood performer.
“I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed,” he says toward the end. “And I am blessed.”
Actor Val Kilmer, star of Batman Forever (1995) and Top Gun (1986) has died in Los Angeles. He was 65 years old.
Actor Josh Brolin, a friend of Kilmer, paid tribute to the late actor on Instagram: “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There's not a lot left of those.”
Sources: Val Kilmer, ‘Top Gun' star with an intense approach, dies at 65; Val Kilmer, ‘Top Gun' star with an intense approach, dies at 65
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