Iconic actor Val Kilmer has died at 65 years old, after a long and storied career and a lengthy health battle that consumed his later years.
Val passed away after suffering from pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes confirmed to The New York Times. He died on Tuesday in Los Angeles, and is survived by Mercedes and his son, Jack.
Best known for playing Batman in 1995’s Batman Forever, as well as Iceman in Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, Val was a respected Hollywood actor who withdrew from the spotlight after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.
He drew great acclaim for his role in The Doors in 1991, which saw the star play iconic rocker Jim Morrison. Film critic Roger Ebert called his performance “the best thing in the movie”, adding that he “always had a remarkable talent, which until now has been largely overlooked.”
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Val lost his younger brother Wesley when he was just 17 years old, after he drowned in their swimming pool following an epileptic seizure. The actor was preparing to move to New York to attend Juilliard when the accident occurred.
“It was quite an emotional time for me, and in a way, the extremely high standards and the activity of the school I’m sure were good for me, because I was forced to really challenge myself about my very life, you know — what I believe about life and death,” he shared in a 2005 interview.
© Gamma-Rapho via Getty ImagesDespite his heartbreak, he went on to become one of the biggest names in the industry thanks to his undeniable talent, until a shock cancer diagnosis in 2014 changed everything.
Val did not want to undergo treatment at first; finally, his children convinced him to receive chemotherapy and radiation.
The treatment worked — however, he was forced to use a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube as he entered remission, leaving him without his voice.
© Corbis via Getty Images“Now that it’s more difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever,” he shared in his 2020 documentary, Val, which explored his health battle.
“I obviously am sounding much worse than I feel,” he said in the film. “I can speak without plugging this hole. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat…It’s an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me.”
Amid his appearance in Top Gun: Maverick, Val’s voice was recreated using AI, allowing him to reprise his role in the iconic film series.
© Getty Images“After getting treated, my voice as I knew it was taken away from me. People around me struggle to understand when I’m talking,” he shared ahead of the film’s release.
“But despite all that I still feel I’m the exact same person. Still the same creative soul. A soul that dreams ideas and stories confidently, but now I can express myself again, bring these ideas to you, and show you this part of myself once more. A part that was never truly gone. Just hiding away.”
The late actor never had any regrets about withdrawing from the A-list life, and was able to spend time with his children in his twilight years.
© AFP via Getty Images“I don’t have any regrets,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s an adage but it’s kind of true: Once you’re a star, you’re always a star.”
In a post on Instagram, actor Josh Gad called Val “an icon”. He wrote: “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
He also received a tribute from Josh Brolin, who shared that his friend was a “smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker.”
“I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there,” Josh added. “Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
