The “Iceman” Himself, Val Kilmer, Has Passed Away at 65

Image Courtesy of NPR

By Luis Zonenberg

Continuing the mourning streak of Hollywood celebrities, we have yet another legend gone too soon. Val Kilmer, who played “Iceman” in Top Gun and Batman in Batman Forever, died this week at the age of 65. After battling throat cancer for over a decade, the legendary actor had died from pneumonia while in Los Angeles. The actor himself had a rather illustrious career, giving his all with every performance he gave. 

He got his first big role in the spy spoof Top Secret!, in which he played an American rock and roll star. Kilmer himself sang his songs in the film and even released an album under his character’s name, “Nick Rivers.” The actor got his big break though in the film, Top Gun, where he starred alongside Tom Cruise as the cool naval aviator Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. He would even star in George Lucas’ Willow, where he met his future wife, co-star Joanne Whalley, while on set. 

It was in the 1990s that Kilmer rose to prominence and became a household name. He had a winning streak starring in many awesome films like Tombstone, Heat and the biblical classic, The Prince of Egypt. He would even get to star as the caped crusader in the underrated Batman Forever, with many fans still pining for the infamous “directors cut” (dubbed the Schumacher cut) to this day. 

Even when he starred in hilariously awful films like the Island of Dr. Moreau, Kilmer remained an entertaining talent capable of carrying a movie like that. This would just go on to prove how his talent as an actor was a force to be reckoned with, and he can have fun in any role he gets. In 1992, renowned film critic Roger Ebert remarked, “If there is an award for the most unsung leading man of his generation, Kilmer should get it.” 

It was only in 2015 that things soon turned south with his diagnosis of throat cancer. A procedure on his throat had reduced his voice to a rasp, rendering him short of breath. To speak, Kilmer had to plug an electric voice box into his trachea and underwent several treatments to combat the cancer. He would go on to publish his struggles in his memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, and detail it further in the documentary Val.

His last performance was in the 2022 summer hit Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. Kilmer spoke with his own voice, with director Joseph Krasinski even clarifying how they cleared it up in post-production to make it more clear to understand. In retrospect, his final scene is now more powerful than ever when taking into account everything that has happened in his life. 

Many celebrities have already expressed their condolences, with others reminiscing about the famed actor. Kurt Russell recently opened up about his time with Kilmer on the set of Tombstone, revealing that the two even exchanged gifts after they finished filming. Since Kilmer’s character, Doc Holiday, was all about death, Russell gave Kilmer a burial plot in Tombstone, Arizona. “I give Val this present and he looks at me and he turns to his driver and he says, ‘Give it to me,’” Rusell explained to GQ. 

Rusell explained how he wanted the gift to be meaningful, though unbeknownst to him, Kilmer also had a gift. Kilmer had purchased an acre of land overlooking Boothill Graveyard for Russell. This exchange cutely reflected the ideals and traits of the characters, while showcasing the strange bond the two had grown on set. Kilmer was a true legend and one that will be remembered for his remarkable talent on and off-screen.