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Actor Val Kilmer—Star of Batman Forever, Top Gun—Dies at 65

BBG News

LOS ANGELES — Actor Val Kilmer, known for his brooding charm and versatile performances as Iceman in Top Gun, Batman in Batman Forever, and Jim Morrison in The Doors, passed away at the age of 65.

On Tuesday evening, in Los Angeles, Val Kilmer passed away, with his loved ones, including family and friends, by his side, as confirmed by his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, through an email to the Associated Press.

Kilmer passed away due to complications from pneumonia. Following his 2014 battle with throat cancer, which necessitated two tracheotomies, he had made a recovery.

In a concluding remark in the 2021 documentary “Val“, he admits to having acted in various ways, some not ideal, some courageous, and even eccentric to others. Yet, he stands by all his actions without regret, as they led him to discover aspects of himself he was previously unaware of. He concludes by expressing gratitude.

At the time he studied, Val Kilmer was the youngest actor ever admitted to the renowned Juilliard School. He navigated the highs and lows of fame more intensely than many others in the industry. His big break occurred in 1984 with the spy parody “Top Secret!” followed by the comedy “Real Genius” the next year. Later, Kilmer would demonstrate his comedic talent in movies such as “MacGruber” and “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

In the early 1990s, his acting career reached its peak when he became widely recognized for playing charming leading roles. For instance, he acted alongside Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton in the 1993 film “Tombstone,” portrayed Elvis’ ghost in “True Romance,” and played a bank-robbing expert with explosives skills in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie “Heat,” sharing the screen with Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and others.

The actor, having undergone training in the Method branch of Suzuki arts, immersed himself deeply into his roles. In the film “Tombstone”, he prepared meticulously for the final scene by filling his bed with ice to simulate the sensation of succumbing to tuberculosis. To portray Jim Morrison, he donned leather pants constantly, requested his co-stars and crew to address him as Jim Morrison, and played The Doors’ music for an entire year.

His strong-willed nature often earned Kilmer the label of being challenging to collaborate with, a fact he reluctantly acknowledged in his later years, yet consistently defended himself by highlighting the importance of artistic expression over financial gain.

In an unyielding effort to enable directors, actors, and other partners to authentically represent each project, striving to infuse Suzukian spirit into numerous Hollywood scenes, I was labeled as challenging and managed to strain relations with the heads of every significant studio, as stated in his memoir titled I’m Your Huckleberry.

In a surprising twist of events, one of Val Kilmer’s most memorable characters – the dashing pilot Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun – almost never came to be. Director Tony Scott approached Kilmer for the role, but initially, he showed little interest. “I didn’t want the part. I didn’t care about the film. The story didn’t appeal to me,” Kilmer wrote in his memoir. However, he eventually agreed after being assured that his character would be developed more extensively from the original script. He will once again play Iceman in the 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

A notable low point in my career was portraying Batman in Joel Schumacher’s extravagant, colorful film “Batman Forever”, alongside Nicole Kidman and opposite Chris O’Donnell as Robin. This role was followed by George Clooney assuming the role for 1997’s “Batman & Robin”, with Michael Keaton having played Batman in 1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s “Batman Returns”.

According to Janet Maslin in the New York Times, Kilmer found himself limited by the straightforward elements of his role. Roger Ebert, on the other hand, jokingly remarked that Kilmer was merely a decent stand-in for Keaton. After only one appearance as Batman, Kilmer attributed much of his performance to the restrictive nature of the costume.

The Times was the first to report his death on Tuesday.

In the movie “Val“, Kilmer’s son Jack, who played his character due to Kilmer’s inability to speak, described his experience: “When you’re experiencing it, moving around becomes almost impossible. Others have to assist you when standing up or sitting down.” He further explained, “You also lose your sense of hearing and after some time, people stop communicating with you. It was a challenge for me to convey my performance through the suit, and I felt frustrated until I understood that my role in the film was simply to appear where directed.

His upcoming endeavors included a movie adaptation of the 1960s TV show “The Saint,” where he meticulously donned wigs, accents, and glasses. Additionally, he was involved in “The Island of Dr. Moreau” alongside Marlon Brando. This project, however, earned notoriety for being one of the most troublesome productions of the decade.

In 2014, I supported the making of David Gregory’s documentary titled “Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau.” This production was marked by a series of unfortunate events such as a hurricane, my unprofessional behavior towards director Richard Stanley, his dismissal via fax, and extensive revisions in the script by both me and Mr. Brando. During this tumultuous time, I remember telling Val (Richard Stanley) that it was just work, a jest, and we’d get through it. However, I can honestly say that I have seldom felt as sad as I did on that set, as depicted in Kilmer’s memoir.

1996 saw “Entertainment Weekly” publish an article spotlighting Kilmer, titled “The Man Tinseltown Can’t Seem to Love.” During the production of “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” directors Schumacher and John Frankenheimer expressed that he was challenging to work with. Frankenheimer even went as far as stating that there were two things he would never do: “Scale Mount Everest and collaborate with Val Kilmer once more.

Supporters such as D.J. Caruso, who worked with Kilmer on “The Salton Sea”, defended him by stating that the actor was fond of discussing scenes extensively and appreciated getting the director’s focus.

In 2002, Caruso stated to the New York Times that Val had a habit of delving deeply into his characters. He observed that directors such as Frankenheimer and Schumacher found that Val would frequently ask questions, while Schumacher, for instance, would simply respond, “You’re Batman! Just go ahead and perform it.

Following “The Island of Dr. Moreau”, his film roles became more modest, including the David Mamet human-trafficking thriller “Spartan”; portraying a paunchy, abusive alcoholic in “Joe the King” in 1999; and playing the doomed ’70s porn star John Holmes in the 2003 film “Wonderland”. Additionally, he immersed himself in his one-man stage production “Citizen Twain”, where he portrayed Mark Twain.

In a 2018 interview with Variety, he expressed his appreciation for the depth and empathy Mark Twain had towards humanity and America. He also admired the underlying humor in Twain’s work and emphasized its relevance and value to us even today.

Kilmer grew up in the Chatsworth district of Los Angeles during his early years. He studied at Chatsworth High School alongside future Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and Emmy-winning actress Mare Winningham. At just 17, he became the youngest student to be accepted into the Drama department at Juilliard in 1981.

A short while later, as his older sibling embarked on his journey to Juilliard, their 15-year-old brother, Wesley, tragically passed away due to an epileptic seizure in the family’s hot tub. At the time of his death, Wesley was eagerly pursuing a career in filmmaking.

Speaking of myself, I find myself yearning for his presence and reminiscing about his belongings. His artwork adorns my space, serving as a constant reminder, and it sparks within me thoughts about what more he could have accomplished. Yet, his influence continues to inspire me profoundly.

Before graduating from Juilliard, Kilmer collaborated on and starred in the play titled “How It All Began“. Later, he declined an offer to join Francis Ford Coppola’s film “The Outsiders” to instead take part in the Broadway production, “Slab Boys“, which featured Kevin Bacon and Sean Penn.

As a cinephile, I’m proud to share that I, too, have ventured into the realm of literature, publishing two books of poetry, including “My Edens After Burns.” Furthermore, in 2012, I was honored with a Grammy nomination for my spoken word album, “The Mark of Zorro.” Beyond film and poetry, I’ve also explored visual art and have been a dedicated follower of Christian Science throughout my life.

He had a relationship with Cher, got married to actress Joanne Whalley, and later divorced her. His surviving children are Mercedes and Jack.

“I have no regrets,” Kilmer told the AP in 2021. “I’ve witness and experienced miracles.”

—Kennedy reported from New York.

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2025-04-02 10:06

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