Cher has expressed heartfelt sentiments in remembrance of her former partner, Val Kilmer, following the news of his passing.
Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes, confirmed to the New York Times that her father passed away at the age of 65 on April 1.
Since the announcement, admirers of the actor, renowned for his performances as Batman and Iceman in the Top Gun series, have taken to social media to honor him.
Kilmer’s final acting appearance was a brief role in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. The film incorporated his real-life health struggles into the storyline.
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and a tracheostomy, impacting his vocal cords.
As a result, in the film, Kilmer’s dialogue was recreated using AI, as his voice had been permanently affected.
Even after Kilmer’s diagnosis, which occurred after he and singer Cher ended their relationship, she reportedly remained by his side throughout his treatment.
Their romance began in the early 1980s after meeting at a birthday gathering, lasting from 1982 to 1984.
In the wake of his death, Cher took to Twitter to share a tribute to Kilmer.
She tweeted: “VALUS
“Will miss u, U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the a**, GREAT FRIEND, kids [heart] U.
“BRILLIANT as Mark Twain.
“BRAVE here during ur sickness.”
Last year, Cher opened up about her relationship with Kilmer, revealing she was ‘madly in love’ with him.
During an interview on the Howard Stern Show in November, she discussed her past partners in response to the host’s inquiry about why they would ever leave her.
Cher replied: “Sometimes you only stay, sometimes, you’re only meant to stay with someone so long and Val was like, he was really young.”
She has previously reflected on the 13-year age difference between them.
In 2021, Cher told People: “We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly. He would sleep over and it was just a friendship [at first].
“The truth was if I hadn’t gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date.
“Younger men weren’t intimidated by older women.”
She also emphasized that their relationship, despite its end, was filled with a wonderful and distinct connection.
Cher added: “And he was so beautiful. It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other’s ability.”