Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment world following the passing of Top Gun and The Doors star Val Kilmer at the age of 65.
One of Hollywood’s most prominent leading men in the 1990s, Kilmer passed away on Tuesday, April 1 from pneumonia.
Born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1959, Kilmer’s passion for acting began in high school. He would go on to become the youngest student ever accepted into the prestigious drama division at the Juilliard School in New York.
Kilmer made his film debut in the spy spoof Top Secret! (1984), followed by a breakout role in the 1985 comedy Real Genius.
He rose to global fame with his portrayal of naval aviator Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the smash-hit Top Gun (1986), alongside Tom Cruise.
Kilmer continued to demonstrate his versatility, starring in Ron Howard’s Willow in 1988, before marrying his British co-star, Joanne Whalley. The couple had two children before divorcing.
One of his most challenging and rewarding roles came in Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), where Kilmer portrayed Jim Morrison, the charismatic yet doomed lead singer of the iconic rock band. To convince Stone to cast him, Kilmer put together an eight-minute video of himself singing and emulating Morrison at various stages of his life. His own singing voice was used in the film, adding authenticity to his portrayal.
The Doors marked a highlight in Kilmer’s career, leading to more memorable roles, including the 1993 Western Tombstone, where he portrayed the legendary Doc Holliday.
Kilmer’s career reached new heights in 1995 with two major commercial successes: the crime drama Heat, where he starred alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, and Batman Forever, in which he succeeded Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader.
Kilmer also starred in a series of notable films, including The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) with Michael Douglas, The Saint (1997) with Elisabeth Shue, At First Sight (1999) with Mira Sorvino, Red Planet (2000), The Salton Sea (2002), Wonderland (2003), and Alexander (2004), as well as the cult favourite Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) alongside Robert Downey Jr.
In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer, undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, and a tracheostomy, which permanently altered his voice, leaving it raspy.
Despite the challenges of his illness, Kilmer returned to the screen in The Snowman (2017) and Paydirt (2020). However, it was his emotional return as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) that marked his final appearance on screen, offering a poignant and fitting end to his extraordinary career.
Following his passing, the entertainment community and fans worldwide came together to mourn the loss of the screen “legend” and celebrate his lasting impact on cinema.
Kilmer is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack.
-with Reuters.
