Top Gun and Batman Star Val Kilmer Dies Aged 65

• Apr 2, 2025

Actor Val Kilmer, known for iconic roles in Top Gun and Batman Forever, has died at the age of 65.

Kilmer, who was a major Hollywood star throughout the 1980s and 90s, passed away on Tuesday in Los Angeles from pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes confirmed to US media. He had previously been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, which he later overcame, though surgery left lasting effects on his voice and impacted his career.

Best known for playing Iceman in Top Gun (1986) and donning the cape in Batman Forever (1995), Kilmer’s filmography also includes standout performances as Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991), gunslinger Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993), and a criminal in Michael Mann’s acclaimed Heat (1995).

Despite health setbacks, Kilmer made a poignant return to the screen in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, reprising his role alongside Tom Cruise.

Tributes have poured in from across Hollywood. Heat director Michael Mann remembered Kilmer as a versatile and passionate performer. “While working with Val on Heat, I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val's possessing and expressing character,” he wrote.

Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Kilmer on 2011’s Twixt, praised his lifelong dedication to the craft, calling him “the most talented actor” of his high school years, adding that “his talent only grew greater throughout his life.”

Director Ron Howard, who cast Kilmer in 1988’s Willow, called his body of work “amazing,” noting his creative spirit extended beyond film to poetry, art, and life itself. “Bon Voyage, Val, and thank you,” Howard wrote.

Singer Cher, a former girlfriend, described him fondly as “funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND” and “brave” during his illness.

Actor Josh Brolin paid tribute, writing, “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those.”

British actor David Thewlis, who worked with Kilmer on The Island of Dr Moreau, said he was proud to have called him “a friend and co-conspirator.” Fellow Brit Will Kemp, who starred with him in Mindhunters (2004), called him “fun, unpredictable, generous,” and “very kind” early in Kemp’s career.

Actor Josh Gad thanked Kilmer for “defining so many of the movies of my childhood,” while James Woods praised his legendary role in Tombstone: “His rendition of Doc Holliday was what every actor dreams of achieving.”

Born Val Edward Kilmer on December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, he was raised in a Christian Scientist family and remained devoted to the faith throughout his life. At age 17, he became the youngest student accepted into New York’s prestigious Juilliard School.

Kilmer began his career with comedic hits like Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), before becoming a household name with Top Gun. He later starred in films like Willow, Kill Me Again, and The Saint (1997).

His portrayal of Jim Morrison in The Doors earned critical acclaim, and his performance as Doc Holliday in Tombstone became one of his most iconic. His turn in Heat, opposite legends Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, further cemented his reputation as a serious actor.

Though Batman Forever was a commercial success, Kilmer opted out of reprising the role in its sequel. He went on to appear in films like The Prince of Egypt (voicing both God and Moses), and The Island of Dr Moreau, which became infamous for its troubled production.

Kilmer later addressed his difficult on-set reputation, saying it stemmed from a deep commitment to storytelling. He continued taking on unique roles, including in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005), where he played a gay detective opposite Robert Downey Jr.

In 2021, he released a candid documentary, Val, chronicling his life and career through decades of personal footage. The film, which premiered at Cannes, offered an intimate glimpse into his battles and triumphs, including speaking through a voice box after surgery.

Tom Cruise reflected on Kilmer’s return in Top Gun: Maverick: “I've known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character... he's such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again.”

Beyond acting, Kilmer was also an accomplished artist, with many of his paintings inspired by his film roles.

Film critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh noted Kilmer’s distinctive screen presence: “There was something dark, troubling, sensual and self-destructive about him. He was never just a bland Hollywood pretty boy.”

Entertainment journalist KJ Matthews added, “He was your bad boy – edgy, good looking, and unpredictable. When Val Kilmer was in a project, you knew he’d do something interesting.”

Val Kilmer is survived by his two children from his marriage to actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met on the set of Willow. His legacy lives on in the memorable roles that shaped a generation of cinema.