Val Kilmer, star of the film Batman Forever, died of pneumonia on April 1, 2025, at age 65. Kilmer began drama studies at seventeen years old at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. He married actress Joanne Whalley in 1988. The two had two children: Jack and Mercedes.
Kilmer was an actor with a storied career. His acting career includes film and theater. His early roles included small parts in plays by William Shakespeare. His film career includes roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as Top Gun. He also starred in the films Top Secret! and The Doors, both of which also feature his musical skills.
About Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer was born in Los Angeles on December 31, 1959, and grew up in California. At the age of seventeen, he went to the drama program of the Juilliard School, a noted performing arts conservatory. He was the youngest student to begin studying in the program. In 1988, he married actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met during the filming of the movie Willow. Kilmer and Whalley were married for eight years. They had a son named Jack and a daughter named Mercedes.
Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and went through difficult treatment. He made a documentary film about his life in 2021. The film is called Val. Val got a standing ovation at its Cannes Festival premiere.
Kilmer was multifaceted as a human being and as an artistic creator. According to PEOPLE, his daughter Mercedes has described him as “a layered person” with “a childlike playfulness” and “deep wisdom.” He once published a book of poetry entitled My Eden After Burns. The poetry book included poems about the actress Michelle Pfeiffer, with whom Kilmer had been romantically involved.
Some of Val Kilmer’s Notable Acting Roles
Kilmer’s acting career included theater. Early theater roles included small parts in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It and Henry IV, Part 1. He also appeared in a 2005 theater adaptation by Andrew Rattenbury of the 1981 movie The Postman Always Rings Twice. The play was staged in London’s West End. Kilmer played the part of Frank Chambers (a part played by Jack Nicholson in the original movie).
Kilmer’s first movie that brought him renown was the 1984 film Top Secret!, a comedic spoof of spy films and movie musicals. He performed the songs for the film. Another music-related movie in which Kilmer starred is The Doors. The Doors is a 1991 movie directed by Oliver Stone. The film focuses on the band The Doors. Kilmer played the role of Jim Morrison, the band’s frontman, and performed Morrison’s songs himself. Kilmer’s final film performance was in the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick. This film is a sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun, which also featured Kilmer.
Val Kilmer As Batman
One of the roles for which Val Kilmer is best known is the role of Batman. This role is combined with that of Batman’s alter ego, Bruce Wayne. Kilmer took over the job of playing this part from Michael Keaton. Kilmer portrayed Batman/Bruce Wayne in the 1995 film Batman Forever. The movie was directed by Joel Schumacher. It is the third film in the Batman movie franchise.
Final Words
Tributes large and small have been written to the beloved actor. The BBC website’s tribute to Val Kilmer describes him as an actor who did not embrace an ostentatious Hollywood lifestyle. The tribute presents Kilmer’s own words about his life and work: “I never cultivated fame, I never cultivated persona, except possibly the desire to be regarded as an actor.”
The BBC website’s tribute also includes the words of Roger Ebert, a noted critic whose writing describes Kilmer this way: “If there is an award for most unsung leading man of his generation, Val Kilmer should get it.” Ebert’s description of Kilmer continues. Ebert states that Kilmer’s range as an actor was so broad that viewers of different Val Kilmer movies may not even register that they are watching the same actor.
