Val Kilmer, the American actor known for his iconic roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever, and The Doors, died on Tuesday at the age of 65.
Val Kilmer dies: What’s the cause of death?
His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed that the cause of death was pneumonia.
Kilmer had previously been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, which significantly impacted his health and speech.
Though he later recovered from the cancer, complications from his long-term health issues persisted.
He had undergone multiple medical procedures, including tracheotomies that altered his voice, and had lived with a feeding tube in his later years.
Despite these challenges, he returned to the screen in recent years, most notably in the 2022 Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.
Val Kilmer biography
Val Edward Kilmer was born on 31 December 1959 in Los Angeles, California.
He was the second of three sons. His parents divorced when he was eight years old, and he lost his younger brother Wesley at the age of 15.
Kilmer showed a strong interest in acting from a young age and was accepted into the Juilliard School’s Drama Division, becoming its youngest student at the time.
He started his career in theater but quickly moved into film. He made his mark in the mid-1980s with roles in Top Secret! and Real Genius.
His big break came in 1986 when he played Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise. That role made him a household name.
In the early 1990s, Kilmer starred as Jim Morrison in The Doors, earning praise for his deep transformation into the rock star. He followed that with roles in Tombstone, where he played Doc Holliday, and the 1995 film Heat with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
That same year, he took over as Batman in Batman Forever, stepping into one of the most high-profile roles in Hollywood.
Throughout his career, Kilmer built a reputation for being deeply committed to his roles, sometimes clashing with directors and co-stars.
Despite the controversies, he remained a respected actor with a wide range of performances, from drama to action to comedy.
Reactions to Val Kilmer’s death
News of Kilmer’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans, fellow actors, and film industry colleagues.
Many remembered him as a versatile and passionate performer.
Here are some of the reactions we picked:
