By Sky Pinkett
Staff Writer
American actor Val Kilmer died of pneumonia on April 1 at the age of 65 in Los Angeles.
This follows Kilmer’s 2015 diagnosis of throat cancer, for which he had to undergo a tracheostomy that affected his ability to talk. This prevented him from being able to act in films for several years and forced him to use a voice box to speak.
Kilmer kept his cancer battle private until 2021, when he shared his various health issues in a documentary titled “Val.” That same year, the actor reported that he was finally cancer-free. It was not disclosed whether his pneumonia was related to his throat cancer.
Various members of Hollywood reacted to news of his death on social media. Actor Josh Brolin shared on Instagram, “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those.”
Singer and actress Cher, who is also a former girlfriend of Kilmer’s, shared his personality as “funny, crazy…GREAT FRIEND” and “brave” during his illness.
“This man forged through it all and was able to create epic adventures for global audiences,” actor Tom Cruise said to E! News. “You are an artist for all time. You are our modern-day Thalberg.” Irving Thalberg was a famous producer who pioneered the early years of cinema.
Born on Dec. 31, 1959, Kilmer grew up in Los Angeles and enrolled at Juilliard School in New York City at age 17. His big break came in 1984 with the action comedy movie “Top Secret!”
Kilmer quickly proved his notable comedic timing, a talent he would display even more in later films such as 2010’s “MacGruber” and 2005’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” the latter of which he starred alongside Robert Downey Jr.
One of Kilmer’s most memorable roles came in 1986 with “Top Gun," in which he played Tom Cruise’s fighter pilot rival, Iceman. This 80s classic gained a sequel in 2022 with “Top Gun: Maverick," of which Kilmer made a cameo in a heartfelt scene between him and Cruise’s titular Maverick.
Another critically acclaimed role came in 1991 when Kilmer played Jim Morrison, lead singer of the famous rock n roll band The Doors. The movie, titled after the band, solidified Kilmer’s talented acting while also bringing attention to his successful, yet intense method acting technique.
Kilmer’s style of method acting became especially controversial in 1996’s infamous “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” a film that also starred fellow method actor Marlon Brando. Beyond the film’s many production issues, there was drama among various cast and crew members. According to the BBC, the film’s director, John Frankenheimer, claimed that he would never work with Kilmer again due to his being “difficult on set.”
Despite this intense reputation with method acting, Kilmer was still afforded plenty of major movie roles throughout the 90s, including 1993’s “Tombstone” alongside Kurt Russell and 1995’s “Heat” alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. He also dabbled into the world of voice-acting when he voiced the characters of God and Moses in Dreamworks’ 1998 animated classic “The Prince of Egypt.”
In addition to acting, Kilmer also published two books of poetry, created paintings inspired by his acting roles and was nominated for a Grammy in 2012 for the spoken word album “The Mark of Zorro.”
Reflecting on his career with AP News in 2021, Kilmer said, “I have no regrets. I’ve witnessed and experienced miracles.”
Kilmer is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack.
