Val Kilmer, star of ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Batman Forever,’ dead at 65
'Fox & Friends First' co-host Todd Piro joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the life and career of legendary actor Val Kilmer.
Val Kilmer's sudden death has impacted Hollywood in more ways than one.
On April 1, Kilmer's daughter, actress Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed the news of his death. Kilmer, who played Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in the original "Top Gun" in 1986, died of pneumonia in Los Angeles.
Stars who have both admired and worked with Kilmer throughout the years flocked to social media to pay homage to the legendary actor.
VAL KILMER, 'TOP GUN' AND 'BATMAN FOREVER' STAR, DEAD AT 65
Josh Brolin, left, and Josh Gad both paid tribute to Val Kilmer, center. (Getty Images)
In a statement to Fox News Digital, William H. Macy - who starred alongside Kilmer in the 2004 film "Spartan" - said, "Val was a pisser. Big talent, so bold, he filled a room, loved to laugh and good god, good-looking."
Josh Brolin paid tribute to the late actor with a heartwarming post on Instagram.
"See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker," Brolin captioned a photo of him posing with Kilmer. "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."
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Cher, who famously dated Kilmer in the '80s, took to X to write, "VALUS Will miss u,U Were Funny,crazy,pain in the ass,GREAT FRIEND,kids [heart emoji] U, BRILLIANT as Mark Twain, BRAVE here during ur sickness."
Cher remembered ex-boyfriend Val Kilmer in a social media post. (Barry King/WireImage)
Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola wrote on Instagram, "Val Kilmer was the most talented actor when in his High School, and that talent only grew greater throughout his life. He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know — I will always remember him."
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"RIP Val Kilmer," Josh Gad wrote on Instagram. "Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon."
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Val Kilmer poses for a portrait, Jan. 9, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
"I always liked Val and am sad to hear of his passing. I thought he was a genius actor," Kilmer's former co-star, Nicolas Cage, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "I enjoyed working with him on Bad Lieutenant and I admired his commitment and sense of humor. He should have won the Oscar for the Doors."
"Bride of Chucky" actress, Jennifer Tilly, took to X to share a story about seeing Kilmer arrive for his audition for the movie "The Doors." She called the audition a "cattle call," explaining different men and women were paired together and were waiting outside for their turn to audition when Kilmer arrived.
"All of a sudden, a sixties convertible came screeching up, blaring Doors Music at top volume. And a guy jumped out and strode inside: He had wild hair and he was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight leather pants," she wrote. "We all looked at each other like… Who is this guy? We were more than a little shook by the sheer audacity of his entrance. Well of course it was Val Kilmer and from that minute on, nobody else stood a chance. Rip King."
Michelle Pfeiffer took to Instagram story to share a black and white throwback photo of her and Kilmer from the 1985 "ABC Afterschool Special" about drunk driving, with the caption, "Rest In Peace, Val," with a broken heart emoji.
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Michael Mann said, "While working with Val on ‘Heat’ I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val’s possessing and expressing character. After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news."
Michelle Pfeiffer paid tribute to Kilmer on her Instagram story, (Michelle Pfeiffer Instagram)
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Matthew Modine, who starred as James "Joker" Davis in the 1987 war film "Full Metal Jacket," credited the late actor for playing a role in landing the gig.
Val Kilmer filmed "Kill Me Again" in a Las Vegas casino in 1989. (Paul Harris)
"RIP Val Kilmer," Modine wrote on X. "If it wasn’t for our chance encounter at the Source in 1985, I may never have been cast in FULL METAL JACKET. Thanks, Val."
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When Kilmer and Tom Cruise reunited for "Top Gun: Maverick," nearly 30 years after the original "Top Gun" was released, Kilmer shared that it was like the pilots had never left each other's sides.
"It was like no time had passed at all," Kilmer shared with Entertainment Weekly in 2022. "We blew a lot of takes laughing so much. It was really fun … special."
In recent years, Kilmer spent time painting and was described as "a talented and prolific artist in a variety of mediums" on his website.
Tony Scott directed Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise, right, in "Top Gun." (Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
His breakthrough role, though, was playing Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's 1991 rock docudrama, "The Doors."
He then portrayed Doc Holliday in "Tombstone," and Elvis Presley's spirit in "True Romance," before taking on the role of a caped crusader in "Batman Forever."
Other noticeable credits include "Heat," "The Saint," "The Salton Sea," "Alexander," "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Conspiracy."
Kilmer is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack.
Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and Elizabeth Pritchett, as well as The Associated Press, contributed to this post.
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