‘Batman’ and ‘Top Gun’ star Val Kilmer has died at the age of 65 after a battle with pneumonia. The sad news was confirmed by his daughter Mercedes Kilmer in an interview with The New York Times on April 2.
Val Kilmer rose to fame in the film industry thanks to his role as Iceman – the pilot who confronts Tom Cruise’s character Maverick – in the blockbuster film Top Gun (1986). His classic line to Maverick: “You can be my partner anytime” has gone viral with audiences worldwide.
After Top Gun, he left his mark as Batman in Batman Forever (1995) and continued to receive praise from critics for his transformation into music legend Jim Morrison in the film The Doors (1991). His final role was an emotional cameo in the sequel – Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
Tom Cruise once shared with host Jimmy Kimmel that the on-set reunion with his former co-star was an emotional experience: “I was really emotional. I’ve known Val for decades and when he came back to play this role, it was like Val immediately became that character. I cried. He’s an excellent actor, I’ve always admired his work.”
That moment also had a special meaning for Val Kilmer himself. In an interview with the LA Times, he said he still receives hundreds of letters from fans every week when talking about the film, and Val Kilmer called the audience’s reception what really touched him.
Val Kilmer once said: “Tom and I get along really well. Between takes, we laugh like school kids. I consider him a true friend – we share many stories and challenges in life.”
The return to the big screen is an important milestone in Val Kilmer’s journey to fight the disease. In 2014, he was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and a tracheotomy, which resulted in severe damage to his vocal cords.
Val Kilmer began his film career with the comedy Top Secret! (1984), where he also showed off his singing skills. The following year, he made his mark with Real Genius.
In 1988, he married British actress Joanne Whalley, after they co-starred in Ron Howard’s Willow. The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.