Tom Cruise has recently shared a heartfelt tribute to his Top Gun co-star and long-time friend, Val Kilmer.
Kilmer’s passing was publicly confirmed by his daughter, Mercedes, who told the New York Times that her father succumbed to pneumonia on April 1 at the age of 65.
Val Kilmer leaves behind two children with his former spouse, Joanne Whalley: a daughter named Mercedes, 33, and a son named Jack, who is 29.
In the wake of the announcement of Kilmer’s untimely death, numerous tributes have poured in from friends and colleagues, including stars like Josh Gad and Josh Brolin.
Josh Gad expressed his condolences by stating, “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
Josh Brolin reflected on Kilmer’s impact by saying, “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.”
James Woods, known for his role in Casino, also honored Kilmer on Twitter by saying, “His rendition of Doc Holliday in Tombstone was what every actor dreams of achieving. So many wonderful performances. Sad to lose him so soon. RIP Val Kilmer.”
Tom Cruise, who shared a strong bond with Kilmer and starred alongside him in Top Gun, also paid homage to the late actor.
According to Variety, during a presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Cruise requested a moment of silence from the attendees.
While standing on stage at Caesars Palace, Cruise declared, “I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer.”
“I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.”
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.”
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
Despite portraying rivals on screen, Cruise and Kilmer maintained a lasting friendship after their collaboration in the 1986 classic.
Kilmer returned to his role as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick, a reunion that Cruise found particularly moving, given Kilmer’s health struggles.
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Cruise described their experience working together again for the 2022 film: “I just want to say that was pretty emotional. I’ve known Val for decades.”
“For him to come back and play that character… he’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again. You’re looking at Iceman.”
Cruise continued, “I was crying. I got emotional. He’s such a brilliant actor, I love his work.”
Tom Cruise played a significant role in Kilmer’s return to the Top Gun sequel.
Jerry Bruckheimer, one of the film’s producers, revealed that Cruise was insistent on Kilmer’s involvement in the sequel, telling People in 2021, “[Cruise] said, ‘We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film.'”
“He was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he’s going to make another Top Gun, Val had to be in it.”
Kilmer’s reprise of his Iceman role marked his final acting appearance.