Val Kilmer, Film Star Who Played Batman and Jim Morrison, Dies at 65
SUMMARY
Val Kilmer, the Hollywood icon who starred in Top Gun and Batman, passed away on April 1, 2025, in Los Angeles at 65, his daughter Mercedes told The New York Times. Pneumonia got him, wrapping up a wild ride that saw throat cancer knock him down in 2014—he beat it, but it left his voice raspy and his breath short. Born in L.A. in ‘59, Kilmer grew up with stars like Kevin Spacey as neighbors, diving into acting at Juilliard at 17. He hit the big time with Top Secret! in ‘84, then owned the ‘90s with The Doors, Batman Forever, and Heat. Critics loved his unpredictable edge—Oliver Stone called it “different”—but he ruffled feathers too, earning a rep as tricky to pin down. After a decade off the radar, he popped back with Top Gun: Maverick in 2022. A Christian Scientist, he dug Mark Twain hard, even crafting a one-man show. Married once to Joanne Whalley, he leaves Mercedes and Jack. “Once a star, always a star,” he said in 2012—no regrets, just a unique legacy.
