Val Kilmer, “Top Gun” and “Batman Forever” star, dead at 65

Val Kilmerbest known for films like 1986 Top gun and 1995’s Batman foreverhave died. He was 65 years old.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, told New York Times He died of pneumonia on Tuesday, April 1st. He was diagnosed with neck cancer in 2014 and recovered later, she added.

The actor’s death comes after he made a Rare public appearance for its Twainmania Foundation in early June 2019 after taking a step away from the limelight after some recent health laws. The actor’s son Jack also participated that evening.

The look came when Kilmer prepared to hit the big screen again Top Gun: MaverickA sequel to the 1986 classic. Kilmer appeared briefly in the film and shared a gripping moment with Tom Cruise on the screen.

“I just want to say that it was pretty emotionally,” cruise told Jimmy Kimmel 2023 about acting with his friend again. “I have known choices for decades, and for him to come back and play that character … He is such a powerful actor that he immediately became that character again.”

After several years of rumored health problems, Kilmer finally opened about his Battle with throat cancer During an interview in December 2017 with Hollywood Reporter.

The article revealed that the actor’s two -year struggle with neck cancer had “taken his toll” on the family and found that Kilmer had undergone a procedure on his trachea that made his voice furious and left him breath.

His health problems only appeared in January 2015, when a spokesman told people that he was rushed to the hospital “for a possible tumor.” Soon after, he took to Facebook to deny having a tumor and just said he “had a complication.”

Further rumors were repeatedly closed by Kilmer, which was discovered with a tracheostomyer in October 2015 and then without next February.

“I have not had a tumor or a tumor operations, or any surgery that I had a complication where the best way to get care was to stay under UCLA ICU’s watchful eye,” he later said in a Facebook post. “I ask for a quick return to the boards as they say. God bless you all and please don’t worry.”

In October of that year, the actor must once again assure the fans that he was okay and denied a report that he had rushed to the hospital. In a Facebook statement, the actor revealed that he had gone to the hospital just to “verify that I have no tumor or infection of any kind verified by the very caring experts at Ucla.” But less than two months after explaining that he was healthy, Kilmer was discovered with what seemed to be a tracheostomy. Although he was then discovered again in February 2016 without it, the scar from respiratory aids was visible on the actor’s neck.

2021, Kilmer shared his story for the documentary Choice, Directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo. Kilmer produced the film with Mercedes and Jack.

“He is such a layered person, there is the childish playfulness, but then there is also the deep wisdom of someone who has been on a spiritual path all life at the same time,” Mercedes told People of He Her Father 2021. “He is many opposites that make him incredibly interesting, and that is the kind of why our film is so interesting.”

Kilmer was born in Los Angeles, California in 1959 to the parents Eugene and Gladys, although the latter divorced. Tragedy beat the Kilmer family in 1977 when Kilmer’s younger brother Wesley drowned at the age of 15.

“He was a genius,” Kilmer told the New York Times 2002. Kilmer praised his brother as a future filmmaker and called him so talented that he could have been another Steven Spielberg or George Lucas.

Shortly after his brother’s death, Kilmer became the youngest person at the time accepted in the famous Juilliard school’s drama group. This was the beginning of his acting career.

“I had a unique experience because in just lost my little brother a week before in started school,“ Kilmer said in a talk at Juilliard in 2005. “So it was quite an emotional time for me, and in a way, the extremely high standard and the activit Was forced to real Challenge Myself About My Very Life, You Know – What in Believe About Life and Death.

Although Kilmer had some roles on Broadway, his big screen came in the movie 1984 Top secret! – A parody of spy films in the Cold War and musicals that Elvis Presley used to start in. Kilmer plays an American Rockstar traveling to eastern Germany and gets stuck in the fight and resistance to reunion. The actor made his own song and dance in the film.

Kilmer’s superstar-momentum came in Top gun, Where he played as a naval pilot LT Tom “Iceman” Kazanski with Cruise.

“It was fun,” Kilmer told Larry King 2013 about working with Cruise and filming the film. “My guy didn’t like him but it was fun not to like him.”

After being criticized for its supporting role in Top gunThe actor achieved with the lead role of Helming Oliver Stone’s film from 1991, Doors. Kilmer played like Doors Frontman Jim Morrison together with Meg Ryan, who fully prohibits the role of the late worried rocker by memorizing all his songs and even dressing like him.

1988 married Kilmer married actress Joanne Whalleley after they met while working together on the film Willow. The couple had two children – Mercedes in 1991 and Jack in 1995 – before divorced in 1996.

The late actor was steadily working throughout his career, with the lead role in a one -man game with the title Mark Twain: Citizen Twain 2016 and turns to art late in its life. His Final Facebook postPublished on March 22 presented its latest painting.

Kilmer is survived by his daughter Mercedes and son Jack.