Actor Val Kilmer led an incredible acting career for decades. Sadly, it has been confirmed that Val Kilmer is officially dead at age 65.
Kilmer’s credits include an incredible number of films, all of which span a number of genres, proving what a skilled and beloved actor he was. His performances include his role as Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun, Madmartigan in Willow, and Bruce Wayne aka Batman in Batman Forever.
As shared via The New York Times, his daughter Mercedes Kilmer confirmed that her father passed away from a battle with pneumonia. However, this is far from his only health difficulty, as Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. He did eventually recover, however, though Kilmer also lost his natural speaking voice.
Fans might also recognize Kilmer for his performance in 1993’s Tombstone as Doc Holliday. Kilmer went to incredible lengths to create the right dialect for his character, a decision that helped make him one of the most memorable characters in what is often considered one of the greatest western films of all time.
As mentioned, Kilmer also had a sole appearance as the titular character in 1995’s Batman Forever from director Joel Schumacher. He took over from Michael Keaton, and while his film was not as celebrated as Tim Burton’s Batman or Batman Returns, it has certainly developed a following of its own.
In more recent years, Kilmer made a powerful return to his roots, when he reprised his role as “Iceman” for the long-awaited Top Gun sequel Top Gun: Maverick. His scene with Tom Cruise was rather emotional and one of the elements that made the film much more than a modern-day blockbuster.
It’s incredibly sad that Val Kilmer has been confirmed dead at 65 years of age, but he certainly left behind an incredible body of work. He is survived by his two children, Mercedes Kilmer and Jack Kilmer.