Sponsored

Hollywood Tributes Pour In For Val Kilmer Dead At 65

By No Comments
Val Kilmer
Photo Credit: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Actor Val Kilmer, known for his iconic role as Iceman in 1986’s “Top Gun,” has passed away at the age of 65.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, announced The New York Times that he succumbed to pneumonia on Tuesday, April 1. She also mentioned that Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later recovered.

Speculation about Kilmer’s health circulated for years until he publicly discussed his battle with throat cancer in a December 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

The article detailed how his two-year struggle with the disease significantly affected his family and disclosed that Kilmer had undergone a tracheotomy, which resulted in a raspy voice and difficulty breathing.

Kilmer later shared his experience in the 2021 documentary “Val.” The film, which Kilmer produced alongside his children, Mercedes and Jack, chronicled his arduous recovery.

Born in Los Angeles, California, in 1959 to parents Eugene and Gladys, Kilmer faced personal tragedy when his younger brother, Wesley, drowned in 1977 at the age of 15.

Following his brother’s passing, Kilmer became the youngest student at the time to gain admission to the prestigious Juilliard School’s Drama Division, marking the beginning of his acting career.

While he started with roles on Broadway, Kilmer’s big-screen breakthrough came with the 1984 comedy “Top Secret!,” a spoof of Cold War spy movies and Elvis Presley musicals.

His rise to superstardom began with his portrayal of Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazanski in “Top Gun,” where he starred alongside Tom Cruise as fighter jet pilots.

After earning acclaim for his role in “Top Gun,” Kilmer transitioned to leading roles, starring in Oliver Stone’s 1991 biopic “The Doors.”

He portrayed The Doors’ frontman Jim Morrison, diving deep into the role by learning Morrison’s songs and adopting his signature style.

Kilmer’s career reached its peak in the early 1990s, as he became a sought-after leading man. He starred in 1993’s “Tombstone” with Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton, played Elvis’ ghost in “True Romance,” and portrayed a demolition expert in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime drama “Heat” alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

He also took a memorable turn as a dashing thief-for-hire in 1997’s “The Saint,” a reboot of the the 1962 television series.

His final film appearance was in 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” the long-awaited sequel to the original 1986 classic.

“I just want to say that was pretty emotional,” Cruise told Jimmy Kimmel in 2023 while reflecting on working with Kilmer again. “I’ve known Val for decades.”

“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,” Cruise said.

“I was crying, I was crying. I got emotional,” Cruise continued. “He’s such a brilliant actor, I love his work.”

In a 2022 interview with USA Today, Kilmer shared how deeply he was affected when watching his scene with Cruise in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

“Almost 40 years is a long time for a reunion. We laughed all day. Tom is great and surprisingly funny,” Kilmer said.

Kilmer’s unexpected passing was revealed just as he was scheduled to make a rare public appearance at the Beverly Hills Film Festival on Tuesday evening.

“It was a shock to find this out. We had just confirmed Val to attend the west coast premiere of ‘American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective’ this past weekend,” Nino Simone, founder and president of the Beverly Hills Film Festival, stated on Wednesday.

The entertainment industry quickly reacted to Kilmer’s death, with Hollywood stars paying tribute on social media.

Nicolas Cage shared his thoughts with The Hollywood Reporter, stating, “I always liked Val and am sad to hear of his passing. I thought he was a genius actor. I enjoyed working with him on ‘Bad Lieutenant’ and I admired his commitment and sense of humor. He should have won the Oscar for ‘The Doors.'”

Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola posted on Instagram, “Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life. He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know — I will always remember him.”

Director Michael Mann also shared a statement on Tuesday night, saying, “While working with Val on ‘Heat’ I always marveled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val’s possessing and expressing character.”

Cher, who dated Kilmer in the early 1980s, also honored him online, calling the actor a “funny, crazy, pain in the ass, great friend.”

Kilmer married actress Joanne Whalley in 1988 after they met on the set of “Willow.” The couple had two children—Mercedes, born in 1991, and Jack, born in 1995—before finalizing their divorce in 1996.

Leave A Reply