Val Kilmer - 'Batman' actor died on April Fool's Day from pneumonia

Val Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, announced the sad news in The New York Times on the night of April 1 (this afternoon Hanoi time). She said her father was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, treated and later recovered.

The actor has undergone tracheostomy to support the recovery process. In the 2021 documentary VAL, Val is seen using a device for voice assistance. The film, which chronicles the health and career struggles of Hollywood stars, premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

The last time Val Kilmer appeared on set was in Top Gu.n: Maverick released in 2023 - the sequel to the classic 1986 film, starring Tom Cruise. The actor appears briefly in the film and has an emotional sharing with Tom before his character dies of a violent illness.

Tom Cruise once shared with MC Jimmy Kimmel that the reunion on the set with his former co-star was an emotional experience: "I was really emotional. I've known Val for decades and when he came back to the role, Val was as if he had become that character right away. I cried. He is an excellent actor, I always admire his work."

That moment also had a special meaning for Val Kilmer himself. In an interview with the LA Times, he said he still receives hundreds of letters from fans every week when he mentions the film, and Val Kilmer called the audience's reception what really touched him.

Val Kilmer once said: "Tom and I get along very well. Between the scenes, we laughed and joked like students. I consider him a true frien.d – we have shared many stories and challenges in life."

Val Kilmer was born in 1959, is an American actor. He became famous after his role as the pilot Iceman in the movie Top Gu.n (1986). After that, Val Kilmer was cast as Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever in 1995 alongside Nicole Kidman and Jim Carrey. Other notable films by Val Kilmer include The Doors, Tombstone, True Romance, The Ghost and the Darkness...

In 1987, Val Kilmer self-published a collection of poems, My Edens After Burns, in the midst of the release of Top Gu.n and Willow. He printed about a few thousand copies, which were said to have been given to family and friends as Christmas gifts and then sold the leftover. According to Bookride, Kilmer then decided to buy all the unsold books, storing them in his garage. The books are still there, except for a few that he signed at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival in 1988.

Val Kilmer's poetry is deeply appreciated, contemplative and philosophical. He often writes about love, the finitude of life, faith and experiences in Hollywood. The artist once wrote a poem for actress Michelle Pfeiffer, called The Pfeiffer Howls At The Moon. The two were entangled in dating news in the 1980s.

The news agency said that in addition to Pfeiffer, many other shades of pink in the artist's life such as singer Cher, supermodel Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie and his ex-wife - actress Joanne Whalley, used to be his "muse". In his autobiography I'm Your Huckleberry (2020), the actor recounted his unrequited love affair with Jolie when he played Alexander with her (2004).

Currently, My Edens After Burns is an item that attracts collectors due to its small circulation. At the same time, the content is likened to "a door to the inner world of a big star in Hollywood". On Amazon, the first edition costs $3,500 (more than 90 million VND). In addition to this collection of poems, Val Kilmer published the 2021 collection Cowboy Poet Outlaw Madman: Selected Poems by Val Kilmer, which includes many of the poems he wrote over 33 years. The work was released by A24 on the occasion of the launch of the VAL documentary about the actor's life.

Val Kilmer married actor Joanne Whalley in 1988 after meeting on the set of Willow (1988). The star couple has two children, Mercedes Kilmer (born in 1991) and Jack Kilmer (born in 1995), both of whom pursue acting careers. The actor and Joanne Whalley divorced in 1996. In addition, Val Kilmer has been in a romantic relationship with many famous stars such as Cher, Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie, and Daryl Hannah.

Rumor has it that Tom Cruise has left his manager and is dating an actress 26 years his junior. Hoàng Phúc16:26:32 17/02/2025According to the Daily Mail, Hollywood couple Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas were seen walking together after dinner at a restaurant in London on Valentine's Day - February 14.