According to his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, he died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends, as she shared in an email to the news agency.
Iconic roles of Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer, the renowned actor known for his roles as Iceman in “Top Gun”, Batman in “Batman Forever”, and Doc Holliday in “Tombstone”, where he famously said, “I’m your Huckleberry,” passed away Tuesday night at the age of 65, his daughter told the Associated Press.
In Joel Schumacher’s 1995 film Batman Forever, Kilmer stepped into the role of the Dark Knight, taking over from Michael Keaton. His portrayal received mixed reviews, and he was later replaced by George Clooney for 1997’s Batman & Robin, a widely panned film that nearly derailed the franchise. The New York Times remarked on Batman Forever, stating, “The prime costume is now worn by Val Kilmer, who makes a good Batman but not a better one than Michael Keaton.”
One of Kilmer’s most iconic performances was as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “The Doors”. To prepare for the role, he learned all of Morrison’s lyrics before his audition and fully immersed himself in the character, even adopting the singer’s style for nearly a year. Critic Roger Ebert praised his portrayal, calling it the highlight of the film, noting, “The performance is the best thing in the movie — and since nearly every scene centers on Morrison, that is not small praise.”
Kilmer voiced both God and Moses in the animated film “The Prince of Egypt” and appeared in a diverse range of movies, including “At First Sight”, “Red Planet”, “Pollock”, “The Salton Sea”, “Wonderland”, and “The Missing”. He remained active in the industry with roles in films like “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” alongside Robert Downey Jr., “Déjà Vu” with Denzel Washington, “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans”, and “The Snowman”.
The 2021 documentary Val offered an intimate look at Kilmer’s life, featuring his own extensive video recordings from over the years. His son voiced the narration, while the film provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse of his work on set and portrayed him as a deeply introspective artist.
“I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. 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,” he said toward the end of the film. “And I am blessed.”
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