Actor Val Kilmer passed away at the age of 65 in Los Angeles on Tuesday after being diagnosed with throat cancer for several years. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed the news. The actor’s throat cancer incapacitated him to speak after undergoing a tracheostomy.
Kilmer first gained acclaim in the 1980s with comedies like Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), but it was the role of Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun (1986) that confirmed his stardom in Hollywood. He went on to further his career with performances in Willow (1988), The Doors (1991), and Tombstone (1993), where Kilmer fabulously portrayed the infamous gunslinger Doc Holliday.
In 1995, Kilmer donned the Batsuit and cape in Batman Forever, in the role of Bruce Wayne taken over from Michael Keaton. The film was, however, commercially successful; he later stated in the 2021 doc Val that he felt restricted with the Batsuit and declined to appear in the sequel.
His vast filmography ranged over different genres, including crime thrillers Heat (1995) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005); sci-fi drama Red Planet (2000); and animated films like The Prince of Egypt (1998). Moreover, in 2012, he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for his spoken-word presentation of Zorro.
Despite his health impediments, he touchingly made a return by acting in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick in a scene alongside Tom Cruise, which found the audience crying when he reprised Iceman.
Born in Los Angeles, Kilmer was raised in Chatsworth and attended Hollywood Professional School prior to being one of the youngest students accepted into Juilliard’s distinguished drama division. His passionate love for acting spanned a glorious career in film and theater that lasted for almost a half-century.
His memoir, I Am Your Huckleberry, released in 2020, offered a personal insight into his life, career, and health issue.
He was formerly married to actress Joanne Whalley; together, they had a son, Jack, and a daughter, Mercedes. Truly versatile and well-loved, Kilmer’s legacy will be carried forward by fans and filmmakers.
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