Tributes have poured in for Val Kilmer has died at the age of 65.
His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed to The New York Times that the cause of death was pneumonia.
Kilmer had battled throat cancer since 2014, undergoing chemotherapy and a trachea surgery that permanently altered his voice. Despite his health struggles, he continued to work and inspire until his passing.
As Hollywood processes the loss, heartfelt tributes have flooded in.
“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those,” actor Josh Brolin posted on Instagram. “I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
“After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news,” filmmaker Michael Mann told The Hollywood Reporter. Mann, who directed Kilmer in Heat, said he “always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val’s possessing and expressing character.”
“Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman,” read a tribute from the official Top Gun movie account on X, honoring his beloved role.
James Woods praised Kilmer’s turn in Tombstone, posting on X: “His rendition of Doc Holliday in Tombstone was what every actor dreams of achieving. So many wonderful performances. Sad to lose him so soon. RIP Val Kilmer.”
Actress Jennifer Tilly shared a vivid memory from the casting of The Doors, writing on X: “A long time ago, I was auditioning for the movie The Doors. It was kind of a cattle call... All of a sudden, a sixties convertible came screeching up, blaring Doors music at top volume. And a guy jumped out and strode inside: He had wild hair and he was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight leather pants. We all looked at each other like… Who is this guy? We were more than a little shook by the sheer audacity of his entrance. Well of course it was Val Kilmer and from that minute on, nobody else stood a chance. Rip King.”
Director Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Kilmer on the 2011 film Twixt, shared a photo on Instagram, writing: “Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life. He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know — I will always remember him.”
Born in Los Angeles in 1959, Kilmer was one of the youngest students ever admitted to Juilliard’s acting program at just 17.
From his early roles in comedies like Top Secret! and Real Genius, to becoming the iconic “Iceman” in 1986’s Top Gun, Kilmer’s on-screen charisma made him one of the most bankable stars of the 1990s.
He later starred in Ron Howard’s Willow, where he met and married British co-star Joanne Whalley. They had two children before divorcing in 1996.
In 1991, Kilmer turned heads with his performance as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors, for which he sang using his own voice. His dedication included submitting a tape of himself performing as Morrison in different stages of the rock icon’s life.
Kilmer’s streak continued with Tombstone (1993), where he played the slick, dying gunslinger Doc Holliday, and Heat (1995), where he acted alongside legends Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. That same year, he suited up as Batman in Batman Forever — a role that brought commercial success but mixed critical reaction.
In later years, Kilmer starred in the acclaimed 2021 documentary Val, which offered an unfiltered look into his health, life, and legacy. He also made a memorable return in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), where Iceman had become a respected admiral.
Outside of acting, Kilmer dabbled in politics, campaigning with Ralph Nader in 2008, lobbying for religious exemptions under Obamacare in 2013, and expressing interest in running for governor of New Mexico.
Val Kilmer is survived by his children Mercedes and Jack.