Los Angeles — On Tuesday, Val Kilmer passed away from a bout from pneumonia.
Hollywood was first introduced to him as a rock star in the 1984 spy spoof Top Secret, and followed it up as Chris Knight the next year in Real Genius. Val soon flew to stardom as Iceman opposite Tom Cruise’s Maverick the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. Other roles included director Ron Howard’s fantasy adventure Willow, where Val met co-star/onscreen love interest Joanne Whallley. The couple, who was married from 1988 to 1996, are the parents to two children: a daughter and son Jack, who narrated the 2021 documentary Val.
He then went on to portray Jim Morrison in director Oliver Stone’s 1991 rock biopic The Doors, stole the scene as gunfighter Doc Holliday (“I’m your huckleberry”) in the 1993 classic Western Tombstone opposite Kurt Russell’s Wyatt Earp, and co-starred in director Michael Mann’s Heat in 1995 alongside Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino.
That summer, Val Kilmer succeeded Michael Keaton as Batman Forever from late director Joel Schumacher. In it, the Caped Crusader finally came to terms with his dual identity as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, finds love with beautiful psychologist Chase Meridan (Nicole Kidman), and takes Dick Grayson/Robin (Chris O’Donnell) under his wing. Together, the Dynamic Duo saved Gotham City from Edward Nygma/Riddler (Jim Carrey) and Harvey Dent/Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones).
In recent years, Val has been having health problems, which included throat cancer. Still, that didn’t stop the actor from working. In 2022, he reprise the role of Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick.
Val Kilmer was 65 years old.