Val Kilmer dies aged 65

Val Kilmer, the actor who brought a unique mix of intensity and cool charisma to some of the most iconic films of the ’80s and ’90s, has died at the age of 65.

His daughter Mercedes confirmed he passed away on Tuesday in Los Angeles from complications linked to pneumonia. Kilmer had long battled throat cancer, which had significantly impacted his health and career in recent years.

Val Kilmer’s unforgettable journey from Top Gun to The Doors

Kilmer didn’t just play characters — he became them. Whether it was the steely glare of Iceman in Top Gun, the swagger of Doc Holliday in Tombstone, or the haunting transformation into Jim Morrison in The Doors, he had a way of filling the screen with presence.

Born on 31 December 1959 in Los Angeles, he made history as the youngest student accepted into New York’s prestigious Juilliard School at 17. After early comedy success in Top Secret! and Real Genius, he soared to global fame opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun — and the rest, as they say, was Hollywood history.

Through the ’90s, Kilmer remained a mainstay of the big screen. He wore the Batsuit in Batman Forever, tangled with legends in Heat, and played spies, cowboys and outlaws with equal ease. But fame came with friction. He gained a reputation for being difficult to work with, something that, fairly or not, followed him into the latter part of his career.

Val Kilmer’s voice may be gone, but his story lives on

In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer. He underwent a tracheotomy, which severely affected his voice — a cruel blow for an actor so known for his intensity and presence. But he didn’t let it stop him.

In 2021, he opened a raw and deeply personal window into his life with the documentary Val, made from decades of his own home footage. The film revealed a vulnerable, thoughtful man behind the Hollywood glare — someone who had loved deeply, fought hard, and still had stories to tell.

And in 2022, fans got one last, emotional glimpse of Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick. Though his appearance was brief, it was powerful — a tribute not just to a character, but to the man who’d created him.

Tributes flood in for Val Kilmer, the Hollywood icon who broke the mould

Actor Josh Brolin was one of many to pay tribute, writing on Instagram: “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those. I’m going to miss you.”

Kilmer is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack, from his marriage to British actress Joanne Whalley. And while his voice may have been silenced too soon, the roles he played — and the fire he brought to them — will keep speaking for years to come.

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