Hollywood is in grief today following the death of Val Kilmer, a beloved and respected actor. The performer, famed for his famous performances in Batman Forever, Top Gun, and Heat (to name a few), died of pneumonia on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the age of 65. When Kilmer's passing was revealed, tributes poured in, with Michael Mann and Josh Brolin among the top entertainment business leaders sending their sympathies. They pondered on the late actor's distinct talents, which shone through the different parts he played throughout his broad acting career.
Filmmaker Michael Mann, who famously directed Kilmer with other Hollywood heavyweights Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Jon Voight in the highly acclaimed 1995 crime drama Heat, praised Kilmer's "range" and "brilliant variability" as an actor.
Kilmer's buddy and fellow actor Josh Brolin shared a vintage photo on Instagram, depicting brighter times. In the caption, the No Country for Old Men star mentioned his "wonderful memories" with Kilmer and said, "See ya, pal. I am going to miss you. You were a clever, tough, bold, and extremely creative firebrand. There are not many of those left. I hope to see you in the heavens when I finally get there. Until then, great memories and nice thoughts." The message included a mix of love and heartbroken emojis, as well as a hashtag recognizing Kilmer's deep interest in novelist and humorist Mark Twain.
The social media accounts for Paramount Movies and the Top Gun franchise paid tribute to Kilmer for his beloved role as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, starring opposite Tom Cruise in the 1986 film Top Gun and its 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, which was the actor's final appearance on screen. The post on X/Twitter showed a photo of Kilmer in uniform as the heroic figure, with the caption, "Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations." "RIP, Iceman."
"Val Cemented Himself as One of the Greats"
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| Val Cemented Himself as One of the Greats |
Industrial Light & Magic, the renowned visual effects studio, paid tribute to Kilmer with a post on its official Instagram and Threads accounts. The tribute featured an image of Kilmer as the charming mercenary and swordsman Madmartigan in the 1988 fantasy adventure film Willow (for which ILM created the visual effects and animation sequences), along with a post that read, "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our friend and colleague, Val Kilmer. Val solidified his reputation as a remarkable actor with outstanding performances as Madmartigan, Iceman, Doc Holliday, and Jim Morrison. He will be much missed, and our prayers are with his family at this time.
Another heartfelt homage came from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Kilmer in the gothic horror film Twixt, which also had a director's cut called B'Twixt Now and Sunrise. Coppola uploaded a photo from the set of the 2011 film on Instagram with the remark, "Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when he was in high school, and that talent only grew stronger throughout his life." He was a lovely person to work with and a pleasure to know; I will never forget him."
