Val Kilmer, the actor who starred in noted movies like Top Gun (1986), Willow (1988), and The Doors (1991), has died from pneumonia in Los Angeles. He was 65. Before his death, Kilmer's last film appearance was Top Gun: Maverick, in which he reprised the role of Tom "Iceman" Kazansky from Top Gun, albeit briefly. As we mourn his demise, let's recount the respectful manner in which the makers paid a fitting tribute to his character in the sequel.
Val Kilmer Dies- Celebrating His Top Gun: Maverick Appearance
Kilmer's health issues started after he was diagnosed with throat cancer around 2015-16 and was undergoing treatment for the same. In 2020, the actor reported himself as cancer-free but kept struggling with the aftereffects, including eating via a feeding tube.
Since his trachea was also impacted, he developed speech problems and his voice was reduced to a rasp. The makers of Top Gun: Maverick took note of this but didn't use his digitally recreated voice. Director Joseph Kosinski shared once that, contrary to reports, they used Kilmer's real voice and not the one made by London-based software company Sonantic's AI technology. However, that had to be altered for clarity.
The Top Gun: Maverick sequence between Kilmer's Iceman and Tom Cruise's Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell lasted a little over 3 minutes but eventually became the heart of the movie. The emotional quotient in the interaction between the OG characters is a memorable takeaway of the film.
Interestingly, Kilmer's Iceman is mentioned throughout Top Gun: Maverick but physically appears in only one scene. By the time the sequence happens, we understand that as the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, he saves the job of a mentally distraught Maverick and advices him to repair the cracks with Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, son of Maverick's late RIO and best friend, LTJG Nick "Goose."
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The first half considered Kilmer's real-life health situation and had Iceman not speaking at all. He only interacted with Maverick through his computer. The latter shared his apprehensions and said he was divided between letting Rooster fly and not (to avoid another Goose incident). Sensing that his old rival-turned-friend needed his urgent help, Iceman finally spoke, and what a frame that was!
Kosinskirevealed in an interview in 2022 that Kilmer was elated when he watched the sequence. In fact, the actor said that filming the sequences was a "very personal and moving" experience for him. Kilmer's presence in that scene was also Cruise's doing, as per Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
"We have to have Val. We have to have him back. We have to have him in the film," Cruise had said, Bruckheimer disclosed. And, we are so thankful for that!
Tributes From Hollywood For Val Kilmer
Apart from Top Gun movies and the ones mentioned above, Kilmer was also known for Batman Forever (1995), The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), The Saint (1997), The Prince of Egypt (1998), Alexander (2004), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), and The Snowman (2017).
A pall of gloom dawned upon Hollywood as tributes poured in from his industry friends, colleagues, and admirers.
Actor Josh Brolin posted 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."
The X account of Top Gun movie wrote, “Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman."
Val Kilmer is survived by his children, daughter Mercedes and son Jack.
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