The New York Times and The Associated Press, among other news outlets, have reported the death of Val Kilmer. He was 65.
Mercedes Kilmer, a spokesperson for the New York Times, said that Kilmer died on Tuesday from pneumonia. She stated that Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later recovered.
The actor fought this disease publicly for the majority of the past decade. The actor lost his voice after a tracheotomy, but he continued to act and write.
Kilmer is a Juilliard School graduate from New York. He was an instant Hollywood star when he debuted as a film actor in Top Secret, the Cold War spy spoof of 1984.
The actor became a global superstar in 1986’s “Top Gun” for his role as Lieutenant Tom Kazansky. He was the cocky, rival-turned-wingman to Tom Cruise’s “Maverick”. Scott tried to convince Kilmer that he should get the part, but Kilmer refused. In his 2020 autobiography “I’m Your Huckleberry,” Kilmer said the story “didn’t interest him.”
The tension on screen between Cruise and Kilmer helped to propel the success of the film as a fighter pilot in need of speed and boosted both actors’ careers.
Kilmer and his future wife, Joanne Whalley, met. The couple married in the same year and divorced after two children were born: son Jack (1995) and daughter Mercedes (born 1991).
Kilmer played Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 film The Doors. Kilmer was a perfectionist who sang Morrison’s entire vocals. He played Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman Forever, a 1995 film, which came after Michael Keaton and before George Clooney. He battled Two-Face in Gotham City.
He portrayed Doc Holliday in 1993’s “Tombstone” and Chris Shiherlis in director Michael Mann’s 1995 bank heist drama, “Heat.”
Kilmer’s life was changed by the drama, “The Island of Dr. Moreau”, which had a turbulent production. Kilmer costarred in this film with Marlon Brando. Kilmer already had a reputation for being a Hollywood actor who was polarizing. The 1996 cover of “Entertainment Weekly” was titled “The man Hollywood loves to dislike”.
Kilmer’s return in 2022 as Admiral Kazansky, a sequel to “Top Gun”, was one of the most moving moments of the sequel. Kilmer had not been interested in getting the role in his first audition. He begged to get the “Maverick” part.
“As the Temptations sang in the heyday of Motown soul, ‘Ain’t too proud to beg.’ The producers went for it, and Cruise went for it.” Kilmer wrote in his memoir.
Kilmer said in June 2022 that the two actors hugged onscreen, and it came “straight from their hearts.” “I love Tom; we’ve always gotten along great. “
The two ex-aces argued in jest over which pilot was better, since Iceman won the Top Gun Trophy at the time.
Kilmer said, “There’s always a need to laugh, and there’s only one Top Gun. “
