Sad news to wake up to this morning. Val Kilmer, the star of Batman Forever and Tombstone, has passed away aged 65. His daughter Mercedes told The New York Times the cause was pneumonia. He had also been battling throat cancer over the past decade.
Kilmer rose to prominence in Hollywood through the 80’s and 90’s with roles in Top Gun, The Saint, Real Genius and a leading role in the cult fantasy classic Willow. In 1997 he took over the role of Batman from Michael Keaton as Warner Bros. pivoted the franchise away from Tim Burton’s gothic noir to Joel Schumacher’s neon, toy-friendly adventure.
He also took on the career defining role of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 drama The Doors. Kilmer famously memorised the lyrics to all of The Doors songs prior to the audition. He began to dress like Morrison, transforming himself in to the character before ever winning the role.
After Batman Forever, rumours of a difficult and combative nature saw studio roles dwindle for Kilmer. He began to appear in mostly independent films and in supporting roles such as in Oliver Stone’s critical bomb Alexander. By the 00’s Kilmer had almost completely disappeared from screens. In 2023, years after his battle with throat cancer began he would make a brief return to acting in Top Gun: Maverick.
In 2021, Kilmer shared his story in the powerful documentary Val, directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo. Kilmer was named producer one the film alongside his children. It focused on his difficult recovery process from cancer and received a standing ovation when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Born in Los Angeles, Kilmer was raised in Chatsworth and attended Hollywood Professional School and the Juilliard School. Whilst filming Willow Kilmer met his wife, actress Joanne Whalley. The two married in 1988 and separated in 1996. The couple has two children, daughter Mercedes and a son, Jack.
Our condolences to Kilmer’s loved ones and fans across the world.
