Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise played rivals in 1986’s “Top Gun,” but they were old friends to the very end.
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Tom and Val met in 1985 and were friends for 40 years. Cruise once told “Extra,” “He’s very special,” adding, “His body of work and what he’s created, he’s created some iconic characters.”
In his Prime Video doc “Val,” Kilmer confessed playing Maverick’s nemesis Iceman wasn’t something he ever wanted to do. Kilmer called the script “silly,” but did it anyway because he was under contract with the studio.
Val played up their characters’ conflict on the set, but in reality, he shared in the doc, “I’ve always thought of Tom as a friend.”
They stayed in touch for decades, exchanging Christmas gifts every year, and Val surprised everyone when he reprised his role in “Top Gun: Maverick,” despite losing his voice to throat cancer.
Filmmakers wove in Val’s own health struggles using an AI-powered speaking voice to communicate in the movie.
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In 2023, Cruise opened up to Jimmy Kimmel about working with Val on the sequel, “That was pretty emotional,” he said. “I’ve known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character. He’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again… You’re looking at Iceman.
Jimmy asked if he cried during the scene, and Tom replied, “I was crying. I got emotional. He’s such a brilliant actor and I love his work.”
Kilmer died from pneumonia on April 1.
