Very sad news this morning as Val Kilmer, a legendary actor with a long list of legendary roles, has passed away from pneumonia aged 65.

Kilmer had been battling throat cancer for years and gave an emotional farewell scene with Tom Cruise in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick (obviously, both men were also in the original). This beautiful scene really hits harder now:

Val Kilmer burst onto the scene in the 80s as a handsome blond with chiseled features, starring in Top Secret! (1984), Real Genius (1985) and then really making his mark in Top Gun in 1986.

However it was the early – mid 90s when Val Kilmer truly became a superstar with unforgettable performances in The Doors, True Romance, Tombstone, alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat (what a film) and of course as Batman in Batman Forever (1995).

He also starred alongside Robert Downey Jr in 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which is probably one of the most underrated movies of all time.

In 2021 a documentary on Val Kilmer named VAL came out in which his struggles with throat cancer were documented as well as his experiences on so many movie sets through the decades. Kilmer did not hide the fact that his style and personality could rub fellow actors, directors, and film crew up the wrong way, but it was always only because he was a perfectionist who wanted to make excellent movies. Mission accomplished on at least several occasions, I’d say.

RIP to an absolute legend of the game.