Tom Cruise leads crowd in moment of silence following Val Kilmer’s death: ‘A dear friend of mine’

Tom Cruise has spoken out about the death of his close friend and Top Gun co-star, Val Kilmer, in an emotional tribute to the late actor in Las Vegas.

Tom took to the stage at Caesar’s Palace for CinemaCon ahead of the release of his new film, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, and asked the crowd to join him in sending off the veteran star. 

“I‘d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” he told the crowd, per Variety. 

“I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick,” he continued. 

“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.”

“I wish you well on the next journey,” he concluded. The 62-year-old then led the audience through a moment of silence in his friend’s honor. 

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Val passed away on April 1 from pneumonia, after a lengthy health battle that consumed the final decade of his life.

He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, and underwent a tracheotomy, which made it difficult for him to speak.

His daughter, Mercedes, announced his death in a statement to The New York Times on Tuesday, three years after he made his final screen appearance alongside Tom in Top Gun: Maverick.

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Val’s turn as Iceman in the iconic 1986 film made him a star, and solidified a lifelong friendship with Tom, so much so that when the sequel was in development, he refused to reprise his role unless Val returned too.

“Tom said he wasn’t going to make the movie without him,” the film’s producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, told People. 

“So the fact that he was able to do it and he worked with us on the script, to have him there and be a part of it was a really emotional day when we filmed him.” 

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“Because you want to see those two on the screen again, Iceman and Maverick going at it. And that’s what movie-making and audiences love,” he added. 

Val was able to return for a brief cameo, delighting fans around the world and paying tribute to his character.

Tom later shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live just how special the moment was for him, 36 years on from the original film. “I just want to say that was pretty emotional. I’ve known Val for decades,” he said. 

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“For him to come back and play that character…he’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again. You’re looking at Iceman.” 

Val’s children also broke their silence following their father’s death, sharing in a statement that they are “so proud of him and honored to see his legacy celebrated.” 

“Thank you for honoring our extraordinary father’s memory. At this time, we would like to grieve privately,” they concluded. Val is survived by his daughter Mercedes and his son Jack, whom he welcomed with his ex-wife, Joanne Whalley. 

For more of Val’s incredible life, see below…