Hollywood legend Val Kilmer has passed away at the age of 65 in Los Angeles, following years of declining health stemming from his battle with throat cancer.
The actor, best known for his iconic roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever, and The Doors, died of pneumonia on Tuesday, with his family by his side.
According to sources close to the family, Kilmer had been bedridden for years due to chronic fatigue and complications from cancer treatments. Though he was declared cancer-free at the time of his passing, the toll taken by years of radiation, chemotherapy, and multiple surgeries had left his body too weak to continue fighting.
His condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly in the final week of his life. In the months leading up to his death, Kilmer had been hospitalized multiple times, with one of his last public appearances—where he wore a Batman mask—being a pre-recorded video from years prior, shared in February 2025.
Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed the news this week. He is also survived by his son, Jack Kilmer. Both children were born during his marriage to British actress Joanne Whalley, which lasted from 1988 to 1996.
A Decade-Long Health Battle
Kilmer was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, a revelation that marked the beginning of a difficult journey. He underwent aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and a tracheotomy—a surgical procedure to open a hole in the neck to assist breathing. This left him with permanent damage to his vocal cords and severely impacted his ability to speak.
Despite these challenges, Kilmer remained connected with fans and continued to express himself through visual art and social media. He rarely appeared at public events after 2019 but continued sharing selfies, paintings, and reflective posts online.
In the 2021 Amazon Prime documentary Val, the actor opened up about his health struggles. “I obviously am sounding much worse than I feel,” he remarked in the documentary. “I can’t speak without plugging this hole [in his throat].”
Kilmer also shared that he had to be fed through a tube and struggled with basic functions most take for granted. He recalled the terrifying moment that led to his cancer diagnosis—coughing up “coagulated blood” and passing out, only to awaken in a Santa Monica hospital after an emergency tracheotomy.
In a 2020 interview with Good Morning America, Kilmer spoke optimistically, saying he “healed very quickly” from the cancer, and credited prayer over medical treatment for his recovery—a belief rooted in his lifelong devotion to Christian Science.
He often emphasized that it was not the cancer itself, but the side effects of medical treatments that caused his suffering.
A Legacy Etched in Hollywood
Val Kilmer rose to fame with his portrayal of Iceman in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. He continued to make his mark in cinema with standout performances as Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever (1995) and Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991).
Despite his health setbacks, Kilmer made a moving return to the screen in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), where he reprised his role as Iceman alongside Tom Cruise. It would be his final film appearance.
His last known social media post, dated February 23, 2025, showed haunting footage of him in a padded room with artist and musician David Choe—a video originally recorded in 2021.
Kilmer’s online presence was one of the few remaining ways fans could connect with him during his health-imposed absence from Hollywood.
