Val Kilmer, Hollywood Icon and Batman Actor, Passes Away at 65

Val Kilmer (Doc. Ist)

Secondupdate.com - Kilmer, known for portraying Jim Morrison in The Doors and Batman in Batman Forever, passed away due to pneumonia. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, revealed that her father was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and had previously recovered.

Val Kilmer began his acting career with a role in the film Top Secret (1984), where he played an American singer. In 1991, he delivered a stunning performance as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors film. Additionally, he starred in True Romance (1993) as the mentor to the main character, and in Thunderheart (1992) as an FBI agent investigating a murder case in South Dakota’s Native American territory.

Kilmer gained widespread recognition after starring in Batman Forever (1995), where he portrayed Batman, fighting crime in Gotham City. He had previously appeared in the legendary film Top Gun (1986) as Tom Cruise's rival. Kilmer also made a brief appearance in the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick (2022).

Other films he starred in include Heat (1995), Alexander (2004), and the award-winning documentary Val (2021).

Val Edward Kilmer Biography

Val Edward Kilmer was born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1959, and grew up in Chatsworth. He attended the Juilliard School in New York, becoming one of the youngest students in their acting program.

His marriage to actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while filming Willow (1988), ended in divorce. From the marriage, Kilmer had a daughter and a son.

Kilmer also lived on a ranch near Santa Fe and once considered running for governor of New Mexico. In a 2012 interview, he revealed that for more than a decade, he chose to spend more time with his children rather than continuing his career in Hollywood.

Known for deeply immersing himself in his roles, Kilmer often gave off a mysterious aura. Several of his colleagues in the film industry, including Robert Downey Jr., acknowledged that Kilmer could be difficult to understand, but ultimately, he became a close friend.

With his passing, the film industry loses one of its most talented actors, who left a profound mark on numerous iconic films.