After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news
Directors including Ron Howard, Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Mann have paid tribute to actor Val Kilmer, following his death aged 65.
Kilmer starred in some of the biggest movies of the 1980s and 90s, including Top Gun and Batman Forever.
Coppola described Kilmer as “a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know”, while Howard praised his “awesome range as an actor”.
Singer Cher, a former girlfriend of Kilmer’s, summed him up as “funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND” and “brave” during his illness.
Kilmer died of pneumonia on Tuesday in Los Angeles, his daughter Mercedes told US media. She said her father had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but later recovered.
Tracheotomy surgery affected his voice and curtailed his acting career, but he returned to the screen to reprise his role as fighter pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick.
Kilmer’s other film credits included 1991’s The Doors – playing the legendary band’s frontman Jim Morrison – plus the Western Tombstone and crime drama Heat.
Paying tribute on Instagram, Heat director Mann said: “While working with Val I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val’s possessing and expressing character.
“After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news,” he said.
Coppola, who directed Kilmer in 2011’s Twixt, said in a statement: “Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life.
“He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know – I will always remember him.”
Howard, who made 1988’s Willow, remembered Kilmer’s “amazing” filmography and praised his “awesome range as an actor”.
“His art extended to his poetry, artworks, filmmaking and simply the way he lived,” he wrote. “Bon Voyage, Val and thank you.”
‘Smart, challenging, brave’
“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you,” US actor Josh Brolin wrote alongside a picture of himself and Kilmer on Instagram.
“You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those”, he added.
British actor David Thewlis, who worked with Kilmer on 1996’s ill-fated The Island of Dr Moreau, posted: “He was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. Proud to have called him a friend and co-conspirator.”
Fellow Brit Will Kemp, who appeared in 2004 film Mindhunters with Kilmer, wrote: “So many great memories of working with him. He was fun, unpredictable, generous and overall very kind to me when I was very new to the job.”
Actor Josh Gad posted: “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
James Woods wrote: “His rendition of Doc Holliday in Tombstone was what every actor dreams of achieving. So many wonderful performances. Sad to lose him so soon.”
bbc.com