Hollywood legend Val Kilmer has passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 65, with his daughter Mercedes reportedly confirming to US media that the actor had pneumonia
Val Kilmer slipped into a Batman mask in a nod to his famous character in his last Instagram video before his death.
The Hollywood actor – who played the caped crusader on the big screen in 1995’s Batman Forever – has died aged 65, with his daughter confirming that he had pneumonia. Val didn’t act as much in recent years, but he was still active on social media.
He last posted on Instagram a week ago, sharing some of his art work with fans. But the Top Gun actor’s final appearance on the platform was five weeks ago, in a video that showed him playing around with a superhero mask.
In the clip, Val and a friend were sat in a room with a painting of Batman on the wall. The actor – whose voice had been affected by his throat cancer battle – announced that he was “ready” before grabbing the black and white mask and pulling it on.
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Peering into the camera, he quipped: “It’s been a while.” His friend could be heard saying: “Oh, you look great.”
Fans agreed, with some branding the star “a legend”. “Val you are a treasure!” exclaimed one of his followers on the platform, as someone else said: “You are the best Batman.”
Many returned to the haunting post as news of Val’s death broke, penning moving tributes. “Forever my Batman rest in peace,” said one, while another added: “Thank you for being one of our iconic Batmans in the 90s.”
Referring to the actor’s 1993 Western, Tombstone, one fan posted: “This one hurts. He was truly one of my favourites. Rest in eternal peace, Val. You’ll always be my ‘Huckleberry’.”
The actor, whose movies included Top Gun, Heat and The Doors, died in Los Angeles on Tuesday (April 1). His daughter Mercedes told The New York Times that the cause was pneumonia.
It came 11 years after the star battled throat cancer. He was diagnosed with the illness in 2014 and had treatment including a tracheostomy, which affected his voice.
However, Val recovered from the illness and was seen on screen again. In 2022 he reprised his Top Gear role of pilot Iceman, appearing with Hollywood star Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick.
The actor was also the subject of a 2021 documentary called Val, which looked at his career, personal life and health issues. It was nominated for several awards and won the Critics’ Choice gong for Best Historical or Biographical Documentary.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
