Val Kilmer, the Juilliard graduate with leading man looks known for taking on roles that went far beyond his appearance, has died. His his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed to the New York Times that the actor had passed away after battling pneumonia. He was 65.
Kilmer’s early films included comedies like Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), as well as breakout role as LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun (1986). That was followed by the fantasy film Willow (1988).
His breakout as a leading man came with his mesmerizing, leather-clad portrayal of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors.
After his outing as The Lizard King, Kilmer opted for scene-stealing co-starring roles in Tombstone (1993), True Romance (1993) and Heat (1995).
His next turn in a leading role came in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever (1995), and continued to star in films such as The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), The Saint (1997), The Prince of Egypt (1998), Alexander (2004), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), and The Snowman (2017). In 2022, Kilmer reprised his role as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
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