Val Kilmer, Top Gun Actor, Dies at 65

The ‘Batman Forever’ star died on Tuesday, April 1, of pneumonia, his daughter told The New York Times

Val Kilmer, best known for movies such as 1986’s Top Gun and 1995’s Batman Forever, has died. He was 65 years old.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times he died of pneumonia on Tuesday, April 1. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and later recovered, she added.

Kilmer made his final appearance on film in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, a sequel to the 1986 classic. Kilmer briefly appeared in the film, sharing a poignant moment with Tom Cruise onscreen.

“I just want to say that was pretty emotional,” Cruise told Jimmy Kimmel about acting alongside his friend again. “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.”

Val Kilmer’s Life in Photos

After years of rumored health problems, Kilmer finally opened up about his battle with throat cancer during a December 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

The article revealed that the actor’s two-year fight with throat cancer had “taken its toll” on the family and noted that Kilmer had undergone a procedure on his trachea which made his voice raspy and left him short of breath.

His health issues first became apparent in January 2015, when a spokesperson told PEOPLE that Kilmer was rushed to the hospital “for a possible tumor.” Soon after, he took to Facebook to deny having a tumor, saying only that he “had a complication.”