Billboard Women in Music 2025
Tributes have poured in for Val Kilmer. The actor who played Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever,” and channeled as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone‘s “The Doors” and starred in several other 1980s favorites, has died, The New York Times has confirmed. He was 65. He had been battling throat cancer for several years.
Michael Mann, who directed Kilmer alongside Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Jon Voight in the much-praised 1995 action-thriller “Heat,” remember the actor as bringing a “powerful current” to movie.
“While working with Val on ‘Heat’ I always marveled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val’s possessing and expressing character. After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news,” Mann said in a statement.
Josh Brolin posted a picture of himself with Kilmer on Instagram, writing, “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. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
Josh Gad also paid tribute over Instagram, posting a photo of Kilmer as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky from “Top Gun.” Gad wrote, “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
Legendary visual effects studio Industrial Light & Magic remembered Kilmer with a post on its official Instagram Threads account. The post read, “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and colleague, Val Kilmer. From his memorable roles as Madmartigan, Iceman, Doc Holliday, and Jim Morrison, Val cemented himself as one of the greats. He will be deeply missed and our thoughts are with his family at this time.”
Lauren Holly wrote a short tribute to Kilmer, posting simply, “RIP Val Kilmer” to Threads.
American Author Don Winslow wrote on X, “Rest in peace VAL KILMER. A brilliant actor and a good man.”
Kilmer was a leading man in the 1980s and 1990s, with starring roles in “Top Gun,” “Real Genius,” “Tombstone,” “Heat,” and “The Saint.” He returned briefly in 2021’s “Top Gun: Maverick” although he could no longer speak due to his cancer.
In 2021, a documentary on his life, “Val,” was released. His son provided the actor’s voice and the film utilized hundreds of hours of video he had recorded over the years, giving a revealing look at the sets he worked on and showing the actor to be an introspective thinker with an artist’s soul.
