Hollywood stars are paying tribute to Top Gun actor Val Kilmer after he died on Tuesday at the age of 65 after a battle with pneumonia, surrounded by family and friends.
Kilmer got his start in Hollywood with comedic roles in Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), but his breakout moment came with Top Gun (1986), which cemented his status as a rising star.
By the early 1990s, he had become a sought-after leading man, taking on diverse roles such as Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991), a gunslinger in Tombstone (1993) alongside Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton, Elvis’ ghost in True Romance (1993), a skilled demolition expert in Michael Mann’s Heat (1995), where he starred alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, and as the titular Batman in Batman Forever (1995).
In a statement, Mann praised Kilmer's "range" and "brilliant variability":
“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."
A Beautiful Mind director Ron Howard, who worked with Kilmer on 1988's Willow, in which Kilmer played a farmer protecting a newborn from the forces of evil, wrote the following tribute on X:
"I was incredibly fortunate to collaborate with Val a number of times over the years. As the off beat swordsman #Madmartagen in #Willow , his stunning #JimMorrison in Oliver Stone’s #TheDoors & in a chilling cameo in #TheMissing."
"I list these titles because even my own personal creative experiences reflect his awesome range as an actor. Check out his filmography. Amazing. His art extended to his poetry, artworks, filmmaking and simply the way he lived. Bon Voyage, Val And thank you."
You can see his post below.
Avengers actor Josh Brolin also issued a heartfelt tribute on Instagram:
"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."
You can see his post below.
Actor Matthew Modine noted that a "chance encounter" with Kilmer led to Modine's own big break starring in director Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.
Actor Jennifer Tilly—who many fans know as Tiffany Valentine, the moll to serial killer Chucky in the Child's Play series—remembered her own experience with Kilmer while auditioning for a role in The Doors, in which she briefly appeared:
"A long time ago, I was auditioning for the movie “The Doors” It was kind of a cattle call. They paired together potential Jims with potential Pamela‘s. And they were running behind so we were spilling out of the casting office, sitting on the porch, the lawn, and the driveway."
"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."
You can see her post below.
Actor Josh Gad, best known for his roles in The Book of Mormon and Frozen, thanked Kilmer "for defining so many of the movies of my childhood."
Film critic Richard Roeper also weighed in, saying Kilmer should have received Academy Award nominations for past work and describing him as "a brilliant presence in some of the most enduring films of his generation."
Fittingly, the Top Gun X account praised Kilmer for leaving an "indelible cinematic mark [that] spanned genres and generations."
Kilmer's legions of fans have also paid tribute and offered their condolences to the actor's loved ones.
Kilmer, who at 17 became one of the youngest actors ever to be admitted into the Julliard School, was always open about the health struggles that impacted both his career and personal outlook.
In his 2020 memoir, he shared how his former partner, the singerCher, supported him through his battle with throat cancer, detailing its devastating effects on his body. Throat cancer encompasses various conditions, some of which can permanently alter a person’s voice—something Kilmer experienced firsthand when he lost his natural voice.
In 2021, he became the focus of Val, a documentary featuring decades of archival footage. His children were involved in the project, with his son, Jack Kilmer, serving as the narrator. The film received critical acclaim, winning multiple awards, including a Critics Choice Award for Best Historical or Biographical Documentary.
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