Val Kilmer known for his iconic roles in Batman Forever, Top Gun and Tombstone has died at 65.
Kilmer was also a huge part of 1991’s The Doors and crime drama Heat. He made his final appearance in Top Gun: Maverick, the sequel to the 1986 movie of the same name.
Kilmer’s daughter told the New York Times that his death was caused by pneumonia. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in January 2015 but later recovered in 2020. The tracheotomy surgery affected Kilmer’s voice and halted his acting until 2022 when he reprised his role as fighter pilot Iceman in Top Gun (1986) alongside Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
Back in 2021, Val Kilmer let the world into his life like never before with a deeply personal documentary, Val. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the film stitched together 40 years’ worth of home recordings, offering a raw, unfiltered look at his journey—from Hollywood stardom to his battle with throat cancer.
Tributes pour in from his colleagues and friends from the film industry.
“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker.”American actor Josh Brolin wrote on Instagram. “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those”, he added.
