Val Kilmer, iconic film star who played Batman, has tragically died aged 65.
Mercedes Kilmer, Val’s daughter, confirmed his passing late on Tuesday night to the New York Times.
She shared that he died from pneumonia in Los Angeles.
The legendary Hollywood actor was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, but recovered from that illness.
Throughout his illustrious career, Kilmer played a number of high profile roles.
He starred as Batman and Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever, opposite Nicole Kidman. He won universal acclaim for his portrayal of The Doors frontman Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 biopic movie The Doors.
(Image: Getty Images)
The Top Gun movie account posted on X: “Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman.”
“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you”, American actor Josh Brolin wrote alongside a picture of himself and Kilmer on Instagram.
“You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those”, he added.
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Josh Gad posted a tribute on Instagram, writing: “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
Comedian and TV writer said on Bluesky: “Val Kilmer felt like an actor who, no matter what the material, always understood the assignment.”
Actress Sasha Grey tweeted: “Rest In Peace Val Kilmer, an absolute legend. He played some of my favourite characters in some of my favourite movies of all time. Condolences to his family. He was 65.”
(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
The baby-faced blonde was the heartthrob of the 80s and 90s, and enjoyed a solid run as the leading man.
He starred across from Tom Cruise in the original Top Gun, where he played the villain Iceman. The icon returned briefly to the silver screen for Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, but he could no longer speak due to his cancer.
In 2021, a documentary on his life, Val, was released. His son provided the actor’s voice and the film utilised hundreds of hours of video he had recorded over the years, giving a revealing look at the sets he worked on and showing the actor to be an introspective thinker with an artist’s soul.
(Image: Getty Images)
Val was hospitalised with what was reported to be a potential tumour in January 2015. However he denied it on social media, saying he had a complication and simply wanted to “stay under the watchful eye of the UCLA ICU”.
But after more rumours of cancer, he said in April 2017 that he had experienced a “healing of cancer”. It was later revealed he’d had a two-year battle with throat cancer”.
As part of the treatment, he had a procedure on his trachea which left him with difficulty speaking. He had an electric voice box fitted to help.
Despite being reluctant to go through treatment, because of his belief in Christian Science (which is different to Scientology), he had chemotherapy as well as two tracheotomies.
(Image: Sygma via Getty Images)
In 2020 he said he’d been cancer-free for four years but spoke of other medical struggles he was having, including the use of a feeding tube.
During his life, Val was married once, to English actress Joanne Whalley. Together they had two children – Mercedes and Jack, who is also an actor.
Val also had relationships with showbiz legends including Cher, Cindy Crawford and Angelina Jolie, among others.
Despite being considered one of Hollywood’s greats, he had a reputation that he was difficult to work with. The claims emerged most notably around the movie The Island of Dr Moreau.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Director Richard Stanley, who was fired from the movie, once said: “Val would arrive, and an argument would happen.” His replacement John Frankenheimer said: “I don’t like Val Kilmer, I don’t like his work ethic, and I don’t want to be associated with him ever again.”
Even Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher branded him “childish and impossible”.
However his At First Sight co-star Mira Sorvino countered the claims, saying he was “real easy to work with”. She added: “My experience with him was nothing but positive. He was really professional and gentlemanly, and a terrific actor.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
