Hollywood actor, Val Kilmer, famed for his roles in iconic films like Top Gun and Batman Forever, has passed away at 65.
He died from pneumonia on Tuesday in Los Angeles in the United States as confirmed by his daughter, Mercedes.
She shared that her father had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but had recovered afterward.
Kilmer’s most recent return to the big screen was in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised his role as the fighter pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise.
American actor Josh Brolin expressed his grief on Instagram, writing, “See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you.” He added, “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those.”
In 2021, Kilmer released Val, a documentary that offers an intimate look at his life and career, featuring over 40 years of home video footage, including moments after his cancer surgery, when he spoke with a voice box.
The documentary premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Born Val Edward Kilmer on December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, Kilmer was raised in a middle-class family with parents who were Christian Scientists, a belief system he continued to follow throughout his life. At 17, he became the youngest student ever accepted into the prestigious Juilliard School in New York.
Kilmer had two children with his former wife, actress Joanne Whalley.
