Top Gun star Val Kilmer dies aged 65 after lengthy health battle | HELLO! (2025)

Iconic actor Val Kilmer has died at 65-years-shold, after a long and storied career and a lengthy health battle that consumed his later years.

Val passed away after suffering from pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes confirmed to The New York Times.He died on Tuesday in Los Angeles, and is survivedby Mercedes and his son, Jack.

Best known for playing Batman in 1995'sBatman Forever, as well asIceman inTop Gun andTop Gun: Maverick, Val was a respected Hollywood actor who withdrew from the spotlight after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.

He drew great acclaim for his role in The Doorsin 1991, which saw the star play iconic rocker Jim Morrison.Film critic Roger Ebert called his performance"the best thing in the movie",adding that he"always had a remarkable talent, which until now has been largely overlooked."

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Val lost his younger brother Wesley when he was just 17 years old, after he drowned in their swimming pool following an epileptic seizure. The actor was preparing to move to New York to attend Juilliard when the accident occurred.

"It was quite an emotional time for me, and in a way, the extremely high standards and the activity of the schoolI'msurewere good forme,because Iwas forcedto really challenge myself about my very life, you know — what I believe about life and death,"he shared in a2005 interview.

Despite his heartbreak, he went on to become one of the biggest names in the industry thanks to his undeniable talent, until a shocking cancer diagnosis in 2014 changed everything.

Val did not want to undergo treatment at first; finally, his children convinced him to receive chemotherapy and radiation.

The treatment worked — however, he was forcedto use a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube as he entered remission, leaving him without his voice.

"Now thatit'smore difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever,"he shared in his 2020 documentary,Val, which explored his health battle.

"Iobviously am sounding much worse than I feel,"he said in the film."I can speak without plugging this hole. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat…It'san obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me."

Amid his appearance in Top Gun: Maverick,Val'svoice was recreated using AI, allowing him to reprise his role in the iconic film series.

"After getting treated, my voice as I knewit was takenaway from me. People around me struggle to understand whenI'mtalking,"he sharedahead ofthefilm'srelease.

"But despite allthatI still feelI'mthe exact same person.Stillthe same creative soul.A soul that dreams ideas and stories confidently, but now I can express myself again, bring these ideas to you, and show you this part of myself once more. A part that was never truly gone. Just hiding away."

Val had his share of high-profile relationships, and enjoyed romances with stars like Cher, Carly Simon and Daryl Hannah. He married English actress Joanne Whalley in 1988, after meeting her on the set of the fantasy film Willow.

The couple welcomed Mercedes in October 1991, and Jack in June 1995; sadly, they split just weeks after his birth, and divorced a year later. Val's two children followed in his footsteps, with his daughter appearing in the 2020 film Paydirtand his son nabbing roles in films like Palo Alto and Pretenders.

The late actor never had any regrets about withdrawing from the A-list life, and was able to spend time with his children in his twilight years.

"Idon’thave any regrets,"he toldThe Hollywood Reporter."It'san adagebutit'skind of true: Onceyou'rea star,you'realways a star."

In a post on Instagram, actor Josh Gad called Val "an icon". He wrote: "RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon."

He also received a tribute from Josh Brolin, who shared that his friend was a "smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker."

"I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there," Josh added. "Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts."