Val Kilmer, Star Of Top Gun, Tombstone And Batman Forever, Dead At 65

Actor Val Kilmer, whose film roles included Iceman in Top Gun, the titular superhero in Batman Forever and Doc Holliday in Tombstone, has died at the age of 65.

Kilmer died on Tuesday of pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes tells The New York Times. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, and a procedure on his trachea reduced his speaking voice to a whisper. A 2021 documentary, Val, documented his health issues along with his film career.

After attending the prestigious Juilliard School for drama, Kilmer starred in the spy movie spoof Top Secret! and the college comedy Real Genius before appearing opposite Tom Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Maverick's rival Iceman. (Kilmer returned to play Iceman in the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick.) He also starred in the fantasy epic Willow, where he met his future wife Joanne Whalley, and played rock icon Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors, earning strong critical acclaim.

In 1993, Kilmer starred alongside Kurt Russell in the big-screen Western Tombstone as charming gunslinger Doc Holliday. His work in that film grabbed the attention of director Joel Schumacher, who cast Kilmer as Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, in the third Batman film, 1995's Batman Forever, replacing Michael Keaton. Kilmer's later film credits include Heat, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Deja Vu and MacGruber.

Kilmer's TV work was mostly limited to guest-star work, with appearances on Entourage, Psych and Numb3rs, but he did provide the voice of K.I.T.T. the talking car in NBC's short-lived remake of Knight Rider, which aired from 2008 to 2009. He also hosted Saturday Night Live in 2000.