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Tom Cruise has shared a heartfelt tribute to his “Top Gun” co-star Val Kilmer after the famous actor passed away earlier this week.
It was widely reported that the actor passed away at the age of 65 on Tuesday night (April 1) in Los Angeles. His daughter, Mercedes, confirmed that pneumonia was the cause of his death.
Val Kilmer had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and went through chemotherapy and two tracheotomies, which permanently changed his voice.
Even with these health struggles, Kilmer kept working for years and made a final appearance in the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick.
Born in Los Angeles in 1959, Val Kilmer was one of the youngest to be admitted to Juilliard’s acting program. He started his career on stage before getting major roles in Top Secret! and Real Genius.
His role as Iceman in Top Gun (1986) made him famous, and he followed it with memorable performances as Jim Morrison in The Doors, Doc Holliday in Tombstone, and Batman in Batman Forever. He also starred in Heat, Willow, and many other films and stage productions later in his career.
After his passing, Tom Cruise paid a touching tribute during Paramount Pictures’ presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
On stage at The Colosseum, Cruise led a moment of silence for Kilmer, calling him a “dear friend,” according to BBC News.
“I can’t tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a human being and how grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun,” he told the crowd, which included movie theater owners and industry professionals.
He then bowed his head in the large theater and added, “Thank you, Val – wish you well on your next journey.”
Kilmer’s final film appearance was in Top Gun: Maverick, where he returned as Iceman, now a four-star admiral, alongside Cruise.
Because of his condition, Kilmer’s character communicates by typing on a screen but says one emotional line: “The Navy needs Maverick.” The scene ends with a heartfelt hug and a friendly debate about who the better pilot is.
Cruise, who had waited to speak publicly, also shared his feelings on Jimmy Kimmel Live!: “I was crying, I was crying. I got emotional…He’s such a brilliant actor. I love his work.”
After Val Kilmer’s passing, tributes came in from colleagues and fans, including director Francis Ford Coppola, who said: “Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in high school, and that talent only grew throughout his life. He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know — I will always remember him.”
While he was celebrated for his performances, Kilmer was also known for being difficult on set. Director Joel Schumacher shared: “I pray I don’t work with [Kilmer] again… we had two weeks where he did not speak to me, but it was bliss.” Director John Frankenheimer said: “I don’t like Val Kilmer, I don’t like his work ethic, and I don’t want to be associated with him ever again.”
Kilmer later spoke about this reputation in a 2017 Reddit Q&A: “I didn’t do enough hand-holding and flattering and reassuring to the financier. I only cared about the acting and that didn’t translate to caring about the film or all that money… I was often unhappy trying to make pictures better.”
In the documentary Val, he reflected further: “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. And I am blessed.”
Kilmer is survived by his two children.
