‘Top Gun,’ ‘Heat’ Star Val Kilmer Dies At 65

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Actor Val Kilmer, who starred in several classic films, including “Top Gun,” “Heat” and Tombstone, has passed away at the age of 65, the New York Times reported Tuesday night.

Kilmer died in Los Angeles due to complications from pneumonia late Tuesday night, according to his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer. The actor was previously diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but was able to cover, Mercedes added.

A Los Angeles native, Kilmer studied acting at a young age and racked up several stage credits before beginning his film career in the mid-1980’s. After turning down a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 classic “The Outsiders” due to theater obligations, he received his first major breakthrough when starring in the 1984 Cold War era parody “Top Secret.”

After turning down another role in David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet,” he was cast as naval aviator “Iceman” in the 1986 box office behemoth “Top Gun,” in which Kilmer starred alongside Tom Cruise. The film was an instant box office hit and became the highest grossing film of 1986, pulling in $353.8 million worldwide.

Kilmer appears in “Top Gun”

“Top Gun” made Kilmer a household name and led to a number of other high-profile film roles, including an appearance in the 2022 sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Kilmer’s career continued to blossom throughout the 1990’s. In the early part of the decade, he played a moralistic FBI agent in the mystery thriller “Thunderheart” and teamed up with “Top Gun” director Tony Scott once again to play Elvis Pressley in the 1993 picture “True Romance,” which was written by Quentin Tarantino.

1993 ended up being perhaps the most successful in Kilmer’s career, as it produced one of his most well known roles when he received critical acclaim for his portrayal of legendary gunslinger Doc Holliday in “Tombstone.” Later that year, he starred alongside Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino in Michael Mann’s heist classic “Heat.”

Impressed with his performance in Tombstone, “Batman Forever” director Joel Schumacher approached Kilmer and asked him to star as the iconic DC universe superhero. The film received mixed reviews at the time due to some moviegoers preferring his predecessor, Michael Keaton, though it has developed a cult following among fans who like its connections with Batman comic books.

Kilmer continued to collaborate with legendary directors in the following decade, including Oliver Stone and Francis Ford Coppola, the latter of whom was a lifelong friend. In August 2020, Kilmer shared the silver screen with his daughter Mercedes in “Paydirt.”

In the 2010’s, Kilmer was largely absent from mainstream Hollywood. In a 2012 interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Kilmer reflected on his career arc and stated that he wanted to spend more time with his children. “I don’t have any regrets,” he said, adding: “It’s an adage but it’s kind of true: Once you’re a star, you’re always a star; it’s just what level?”

Kilmer’s film career was further hindered by health issues following his cancer diagnosis in 2014. While he managed to portray his character in “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kilmer had difficulty due to damage from a tracheostomy and was forced to use a breathing tube.

In recent years, Kilmer spent time painting and was described as “a talented and prolific artist in a variety of mediums,” according to his website.