Val Kilmer, Beloved 'Top Gun,' 'Batman Forever' Star, Dies At 65.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Val Kilmer, best known for his portrayals of Batman and Jim Morrison, died Tuesday 4-1-25 in Los Angeles, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times and Associated Press. He was 65.
Kilmer's daughter said the actor died of pneumonia, surrounded by family and friends.
He had recovered after a 2014 throat cancer diagnosis that required two tracheotomies.
"I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed," he says toward the end of “Val,” the 2021 documentary on his career. "And I am blessed."
Kilmer was born in Los Angeles and called Roy Rogers and Dale Evans neighbors, according to the NYT.
He shot to stardom in the 1990s with films such as "The Doors," "The Saint," and "Willow."
The iconic Iceman made a lasting mark in 1986's "Top Gun,"—and Kilmer returned to the character, much to the joy of fans, in the sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" in 2022.
One career nadir was playing Batman in Joel Schumacher’s goofy, garish “Batman Forever” with Nicole Kidman and opposite Chris O’Donnell‘s Robin — before George Clooney took up the mantle for 1997’s “Batman & Robin” and after Michael Keaton played the Dark Knight in 1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s “Batman Returns.”
Kilmer attended the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City and was the youngest actor ever accepted to the program at the time, at just 17.
His break came in 1984’s spy spoof "Top Secret!" before he went on to become one of Hollywood's most desired leading men.
The actor — who took part in the Method branch of Suzuki arts training — threw himself into parts. When he played Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” he filled his bed with ice for the final scene to mimic the feeling of dying from tuberculosis. To play Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” he wore leather pants all the time, asked castmates and crew to only refer to him as Jim Morrison and blasted The Doors for a year.
That intensity also gave Kilmer a reputation that he was difficult to work with, something he grudgingly agreed with later in life, but always defending himself by emphasizing art over commerce.
"In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors and other collaborators to honor the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad of Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio," he wrote in his memoir, "I’m Your Huckleberry."
Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended Chatsworth High School alongside future Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and future Emmy winner Mare Winningham.
He suffered early tragedy when his epileptic younger brother drowned in a jacuzzi. Kilmer talked about the haunting loss in his self-made, deeply personal documentary that focused as much on his love of family, personal failings and career decline as it did his career highlights such as "The Doors" and "Willow." During the filming of "Willow" he co-starred opposite his future wife Joanne Whalley whom he had two children with.
He is survived by his a daughter, Mercedes and a son, Jack.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Val Kilmer, best known for his portrayals of Batman and Jim Morrison, died Tuesday 4-1-25 in Los Angeles, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times and Associated Press. He was 65.
Kilmer's daughter said the actor died of pneumonia, surrounded by family and friends.
He had recovered after a 2014 throat cancer diagnosis that required two tracheotomies.
"I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed," he says toward the end of “Val,” the 2021 documentary on his career. "And I am blessed."
Kilmer was born in Los Angeles and called Roy Rogers and Dale Evans neighbors, according to the NYT.
He shot to stardom in the 1990s with films such as "The Doors," "The Saint," and "Willow."
The iconic Iceman made a lasting mark in 1986's "Top Gun,"—and Kilmer returned to the character, much to the joy of fans, in the sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" in 2022.
One career nadir was playing Batman in Joel Schumacher’s goofy, garish “Batman Forever” with Nicole Kidman and opposite Chris O’Donnell‘s Robin — before George Clooney took up the mantle for 1997’s “Batman & Robin” and after Michael Keaton played the Dark Knight in 1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s “Batman Returns.”
Kilmer attended the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City and was the youngest actor ever accepted to the program at the time, at just 17.
His break came in 1984’s spy spoof "Top Secret!" before he went on to become one of Hollywood's most desired leading men.
The actor — who took part in the Method branch of Suzuki arts training — threw himself into parts. When he played Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” he filled his bed with ice for the final scene to mimic the feeling of dying from tuberculosis. To play Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” he wore leather pants all the time, asked castmates and crew to only refer to him as Jim Morrison and blasted The Doors for a year.
That intensity also gave Kilmer a reputation that he was difficult to work with, something he grudgingly agreed with later in life, but always defending himself by emphasizing art over commerce.
"In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors and other collaborators to honor the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad of Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio," he wrote in his memoir, "I’m Your Huckleberry."
Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended Chatsworth High School alongside future Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and future Emmy winner Mare Winningham.
He suffered early tragedy when his epileptic younger brother drowned in a jacuzzi. Kilmer talked about the haunting loss in his self-made, deeply personal documentary that focused as much on his love of family, personal failings and career decline as it did his career highlights such as "The Doors" and "Willow." During the filming of "Willow" he co-starred opposite his future wife Joanne Whalley whom he had two children with.
He is survived by his a daughter, Mercedes and a son, Jack.
Val Kilmer, Beloved 'Top Gun,' 'Batman Forever' Star, Dies At 65.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Val Kilmer, best known for his portrayals of Batman and Jim Morrison, died Tuesday 4-1-25 in Los Angeles, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times and Associated Press. He was 65.
Kilmer's daughter said the actor died of pneumonia, surrounded by family and friends.
He had recovered after a 2014 throat cancer diagnosis that required two tracheotomies.
"I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed," he says toward the end of “Val,” the 2021 documentary on his career. "And I am blessed."
Kilmer was born in Los Angeles and called Roy Rogers and Dale Evans neighbors, according to the NYT.
He shot to stardom in the 1990s with films such as "The Doors," "The Saint," and "Willow."
The iconic Iceman made a lasting mark in 1986's "Top Gun,"—and Kilmer returned to the character, much to the joy of fans, in the sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" in 2022.
One career nadir was playing Batman in Joel Schumacher’s goofy, garish “Batman Forever” with Nicole Kidman and opposite Chris O’Donnell‘s Robin — before George Clooney took up the mantle for 1997’s “Batman & Robin” and after Michael Keaton played the Dark Knight in 1989’s “Batman” and 1992’s “Batman Returns.”
Kilmer attended the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City and was the youngest actor ever accepted to the program at the time, at just 17.
His break came in 1984’s spy spoof "Top Secret!" before he went on to become one of Hollywood's most desired leading men.
The actor — who took part in the Method branch of Suzuki arts training — threw himself into parts. When he played Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” he filled his bed with ice for the final scene to mimic the feeling of dying from tuberculosis. To play Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” he wore leather pants all the time, asked castmates and crew to only refer to him as Jim Morrison and blasted The Doors for a year.
That intensity also gave Kilmer a reputation that he was difficult to work with, something he grudgingly agreed with later in life, but always defending himself by emphasizing art over commerce.
"In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors and other collaborators to honor the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad of Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio," he wrote in his memoir, "I’m Your Huckleberry."
Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles. He attended Chatsworth High School alongside future Oscar winner Kevin Spacey and future Emmy winner Mare Winningham.
He suffered early tragedy when his epileptic younger brother drowned in a jacuzzi. Kilmer talked about the haunting loss in his self-made, deeply personal documentary that focused as much on his love of family, personal failings and career decline as it did his career highlights such as "The Doors" and "Willow." During the filming of "Willow" he co-starred opposite his future wife Joanne Whalley whom he had two children with.
He is survived by his a daughter, Mercedes and a son, Jack.
Arabic
French
Spanish
Portuguese
Deutsch
Turkish
Dutch
Italiano
Russian
Romaian
Portuguese (Brazil)
Greek