American actor Val Kilmer has sadly passed away at the age of 65. His daughter Mercedes Kilmer confirmed his death on Tuesday evening, saying he was in Los Angeles surrounded by family and friends. She gave his cause of death as pneumonia.
Val Kilmer’s films were a favourite inclusion at the Cannes Film Festival. He shot to fame in Willow, which was featured at the festival in 1988, Out of Competition. In 2005, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was also shown out of competition at the famous French Riviera festival. More recently, in 2022, festival audiences were blown away by his brave performance in Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick, briefly reprising his iconic Iceman role. (Afterwards he posted a picture of his scene with Cruise, captioned: “36 years later and I am still your wingman.”)
But most movingly, it was Val’s searingly honest and heartbreaking documentary – simply titled Val – that made the most impact on the Croisette, garnering a long and tearful standing ovation. In the documentary Val detailed his passion for film-making from a young age, his brother’s tragic death and its impact on his life, his gruelling health battles and ultimately his hope and his art.
Val had suffered major health issues. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, and the tracheotomy that was used unfortunately damaged his vocal chords. While he recovered from cancer, he was never able to talk, eat or breathe normally again.
Tributes have been pouring in for the star, many describing his beautiful, gentle soul. He was a kind man. I interviewed him once in London. He was so present, so interesting and interested. He conducted the entire interview in a South African accent (to mirror mine), grabbing any opportunity he could to hone his craft. Batman fans wanted him back after ‘Batman Forever’, and the critics were out in full force when he chose instead to take on the ill-fated reboot of The Saint. But, Val told me, acting as Batman again held little interest for him. He had done it (and brilliantly at that) – fame and fortune wasn’t his drawcard; he thrived on new challenges, expanding his acting range and life lessons whenever possible.
In Val, he admitted: “I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed. I am blessed.”
A restaurant owner in New Mexico posted a tribute on Val’s official Facebook page today, saying: “Mr Kilmer was always so kind and would greet me with a kiss on the cheek when he would come eat at my restaurant in Santa Fe… He will be genuinely missed as will the Hackmans RIP.”
In January this year, following the fires in LA, Val posted a couple of paintings and said: “We’re all in need of a little love right now. No matter where you are (but particularly in Los Angeles) a gesture of love is always appreciated. So, here are two gestures of LOVE for the loves of your lives (even if one of those loves is yourself), newly minted prints of two of my LOVE paintings in time for Valentine’s day, or just because you want to let someone know how you feel. The Beatles were right. Love, Val”
Val leaves his two children, Mercedes and Jack (from his marriage to ex-wife and Willow co-star Joanne Whalley).
