Batman, Iceman and Jim Morrison: Val Kilmer's career, in frames
The actor, who became famous at the end of the 20th century with films such as 'Top Gun' and 'Batman Forever,' died at the age of 65, a victim of pneumonia.
Hollywood received sad news this April 1: Val Kilmer died at age 65 after suffering from pneumonia. For much of the last years of his life, the actor (born in Los Angeles, California, on December 31, 1959) struggled with throat cancer. He was able to be cured, but the after-effects -such as loss of speech and difficulty breathing and swallowing- were irreversible.
Kilmer leaves an outstanding film legacy, gaining his fame in the last two decades of the 20th century with the interpretation of characters that will always be remembered, such as Lieutenant Tom Iceman Kazansky in Top Gun (1986) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). He also played Jim Morrison in the singer's biopic The Doors (1991) and donned the Batman uniform to dispense justice in Batman Forever (1995).
'Top Secret!' (1984).Cordon Press.
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'Top Secret!' (1984)
Kilmer made his film debut playing rock singer Nick Rivers in Top Secret! (1984), a comedy directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker.
'Top Gun' (1986).Cordon Press.
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'Top Gun' (1986)
Tony Scott cast him in the role of Lieutenant Tom Iceman Kazansky in Top Gun (1986), the charismatic rival of the protagonist, Lieutenant Pete Maverick Mitchell (played by Tom Cruise), for being the best pilot at the Navy Combat Arms School. The tension and rivalry between the two is defused by the end of the film, and they even become great friends, as demonstrated in the sequel, Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
'Willow' (1988).Cordon Press.
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'Willow' (1988)
In the fantasy film Willow (1988, directed by Ron Howard), Kilmer played the warrior Madmartigan.
'The Doors' (1991).Cordon Press.
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'The Doors' (1991)
Kilmer stepped into the shoes of singer Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991), a biopic of the artist and his band. He again shared the stage with Meg Ryan, with whom he starred alongside in Top Gun.
'Tombstone' (1993)Cordon Press.
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'Tombstone' (1993)
Among the different genres in which he acted was also included the western. Kilmer played the sharpshooter Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993), who accompanied the Earp brothers (played by Kurt Russell, Sam Elliot and Bill Paxton) in the town of Tombstone (Arizona).
'Heat' (1995).Cordon Press.
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'Heat' (1995)
He shared a set with actors such as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat (1995), a film directed by Michael Mann in which he played the thief Chris Shiherlis.
'Batman Forever' (1995).Cordon Press.
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'Batman Forever' (1995)
Aiming to make a blockbuster production, Joel Schumacher cast Val Kilmer to be Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman Forever (1995). Nicole Kidman, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey and Drew Barrymore were part of the cast.
'Alexander' (2004).Cordon Press.
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'Alexander' (2004)
In Alexander (2004), a film based on the legend of Alexander the Great, Stone cast him as the Macedonian king Philip II. Angelina Jolie, Colin Farrell, Jared Leto, Christopher Plummer and Anthony Hopkins were among his co-stars.
'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Bang' (2005).Cordon Press.
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'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Bang' (2005)
With Robert Downey Jr. and Michelle Monaghan, Kilmer co-starred in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), where he was listed as Gay Perry Van Shrike in the credits.
'Déjà Vu' (2006).Cordon Press.
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'Déjà Vu' (2006)
Crime thriller directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, in Déjà Vu (2006) Kilmer played Paul Pryzwarra, the director of a program that helps prevent crimes that have happened in the present by moving people into the past.
