Val Kilmer, ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Batman Forever’ star, dies at 65
US actor Val Kilmer arrives at Centre International Deauville for the screening of "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" at the 31st Deauville American Film Festival, 4 September 2005. Actor Val Kilmer died on April 1 in Los Angeles. He was 65. (Photo by FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP)
Hollywood actor Val Kilmer, renowned for his roles in “Top Gun”, “Batman Forever” and “The Doors,” has died at the age of 65.
Kilmer, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, recovered in 2021 but was left with significant damage to his voice. According to his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, the actor succumbed to pneumonia.
The actor’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said he passed away due to pneumonia.
The actor gained fame in the 1980s as a Juilliard-trained prodigy, showcasing leading-man potential comparable to his “Top Gun” co-star, Tom Cruise. At the height of his career, he dated Cher and Cindy Crawford, made $6 million per film, and developed a reputation for being notoriously difficult to work with.
Kilmer was born on Dec. 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, alongside his two brothers. He went to high school with Kevin Spacey and later attended Julliard School’s drama division.
