Michael Mann, Josh Brolin, Josh Gad, Richard Roeper and Bill Simmons, were among the entertainment industry figures who paid tribute to Val Kilmer on Tuesday after news of his death was announced.
Kilmer died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, his daughter, actress Mercedes Kilmer, told The New York Times. He was 65. The actor was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015.
The much-loved and incredibly versatile actor had a diverse filmography, excelling both as a leading man (Batman Forever, The Saint, Top Secret!, Willow, The Doors, Real Genius) and as a scene-stealing supporting player (Tombstone, Top Gun, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Heat) in a variety of genres. Kilmer was also the subject of the 2021 documentary Val, which was is an intimate portrait of the actor that explored his battle with throat cancer, his artistic passions and his reflections on his career.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Michael Mann said, “While working with Val on Heat 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.”
Josh Brolin wrote on Instagram, “See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts. ❤️💔❤️💔❤️💔💎 #valkilmer #marktwain” The second hashtag a reference to Kilmer’s life-long passion for Mark Twain, which culminated in the actor portraying the famed writer and humorist twice on screen and in the theater production Citizen Twain.
Also on Instagram, actor Josh Gad wrote, “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
Matthew Modine tweeted, “RIP Val Kilmer. If it wasn’t for our chance encounter at the Source in 1985, I may never have been cast in FULL METAL JACKET. Thanks, Val. 🙏☮️”
On Bluesky, Emmy-nominated TV writer and comedian Mike Drucker wrote, “Val Kilmer felt like an actor who, no matter what the material, always understood the assignment.”
Brian Lynch, the screenwriter behind Minions and Secret Life of Pets, wrote on Bluesky, “The Doors. Top Secret! Tombstone. Top Gun. Real Genius. Willow. Batman Forever. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. True Romance. Macgruber. Heat. There was nobody like Val Kilmer. May he Rest in Peace.”
On X, Jennifer Tilly offered her memory of Kilmer. “A long time ago, I was auditioning for the movie “The Doors” It was kind of a cattle call. They paired together potential Jims with potential Pamela‘s. And they were running behind so we were spilling out of the casting office, sitting on the porch, the lawn, and the driveway. All of a sudden, a sixties convertible came screeching up, blaring Doors Music at top volume. And a guy jumped out and strode inside: He had wild hair and he was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight leather pants.”
Tilly added, “We all looked at each other like… Who is this guy? We were more than a little shook by the sheer audacity of his entrance. Well of course it was Val Kilmer and from that minute on, nobody else stood a chance. Rip King.”
Lucasfilm executive Pablo Hidalgo wrote on Bluesky, “Oh man, not Val Kilmer. His comedic chops were top notch but he had a fascinating storm roiling beneath the surface. Madmartigan was an icon.”
Famed movie critic Richard Roeper tweeted, “Val Kilmer should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Tombstone and for Heat. He was a brilliant presence in some of the most enduring films of his generation. Rest well. Thank you for the incredible work.”
Writer-director Dylan Park-Pettiford tweeted, “Listen, Val Kilmer had me wanting to fly fighter jets, be Batman, rob banks, and hunt lions as a kid. They don’t make too many movie stars like him anymore. Generational.”
Ringer owner Bill Simmons tweeted, “There wasn’t anyone quite like Val Kilmer. Really enjoyed his work. RIP.”
On X, the official Top Gun movie account tweeted, “Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman.”
Like many other users on social media, Indonesian filmmaker Timo Tjahjanto (The Shadow Strays, Nobody 2), posted a famous scene from Heat, where Kilmer’s character interacts with Ashley Judd’s character for the final time. Tjahjanto wrote, “A masterpiece exercise in saying nothing and expressing everything. Rest in Peace truly.”
Actress Sasha Grey tweeted on X, “Rest In Peace Val Kilmer, an absolute legend. He played some of my favorite characters in some of my favorite movies of all time. Condolences to his family 🫶 He was 65.”