Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer | |
---|---|
![]() Kilmer in 2005 | |
Born | Val Edward Kilmer December 31, 1959 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Died | April 1, 2025 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | (aged 65)
Education | Juilliard School (BFA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1980–2022 |
Spouse | |
Children | 2, including Jack |
Website | valkilmer |
Signature | |
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Val Edward Kilmer (December 31, 1959 – April 1, 2025) was an American actor. Initially a stage actor, he later found fame as a leading man in films in a wide variety of genres, including comedies, dramas, action adventures, westerns, historical films, crime dramas, science fiction films, and fantasy films.[1] Films in which Kilmer appeared grossed more than $3.85 billion worldwide.[2] In 1992, film critic Roger Ebert remarked, "if there is an award for the most unsung leading man of his generation, Kilmer should get it".[3]
Kilmer started his film career in the comedy films Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), before transitioning to dramatic films. He rose to prominence for playing Iceman in Top Gun (1986), Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991), Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993),Batman / Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever (1995) and Moses in The Prince of Egypt (1998). Kilmer made his final film appearance in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), reprising his role from the original film.
On stage, Kilmer made his Broadway theatre debut acting in the John Byrne working class play The Slab Boys (1983). He also acted in productions of William Shakespeare's history play Henry IV, Part 1 (1981) and in the John Ford tragedy 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1992) both at The Public Theater. He portrayed Mark Twain in a one-man show he had written titled Citizen Twain in a 2012 production in Los Angeles.
In 2015, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer. He subsequently underwent a tracheal procedure that damaged his vocal cords, leaving him with severe difficulty speaking. He also underwent chemotherapy and two tracheotomies, before he died of pneumonia on April 1, 2025. He released his memoir, I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir (2020), and the documentary Val (2021), both of which detail his career and health struggles.[4]
Early life, family and education
Val Edward Kilmer was born on December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, California,
Kilmer was raised with Christian Science beliefs, which he maintained for most of his life. In 1977, Kilmer's younger brother Wesley (1961–1977), who had epilepsy, drowned in a hot tub at age 16.[9][10]
Kilmer attended Chatsworth High School where he was friends with actors Kevin Spacey[1] and Mare Winningham, whom Kilmer dated.[11] He became the youngest person at the time to be accepted into the Juilliard School's Drama Division, where he was a member of Group 10.[12] At Juilliard, Kilmer and Spacey's friendship ended over a financial matter.[13]
Career
1980–1989: Early roles and comedy films
Kilmer declined a role in Francis Ford Coppola's 1983 film The Outsiders, as he had prior theater commitments.[14] In 1983, he appeared off Broadway in The Slab Boys with Kevin Bacon, Sean Penn, and Jackie Earle Haley. That same year, his first off-stage acting role (excluding television commercials) came in the form of an episode of ABC Afterschool Special called One Too Many, although it did not air until 1985.[15] It was an educational drama on drinking and driving,[16] and co-starred a young Michelle Pfeiffer. Also in 1983, Kilmer self-published a collection of his own poetry entitled My Edens After Burns, that included poems inspired by his time with Pfeiffer. This book of poems is difficult to obtain and expensive; known second-hand copies cost $300 and up.[17][18][19]
His big break came when he received top billing in the comedy spoof of spy movies Top Secret!, in which he played an American rock and roll star. Kilmer sang all the songs in the film and released an album under the film character's name, "Nick Rivers".[20]
During a brief hiatus, Kilmer backpacked throughout Europe before going on to play the lead character in the 1985 comedy Real Genius. He turned down a role in David Lynch's Blue Velvet[21] before being cast as naval aviator Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in the action film Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise. Top Gun grossed a total of over $344 million worldwide and made Kilmer a major star.[22] Following roles in the television films The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains, Kilmer portrayed Madmartigan in the fantasy Willow; he met his future wife, co-star Joanne Whalley, on the film's set.[23] Kilmer starred in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival production of Hamlet in 1988.[24] In 1989, Kilmer played the lead in both Kill Me Again, again opposite Whalley,[25] and a supporting role in Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid.[26]
1990–1995: Stardom with The Doors and Batman
After several delays, director Oliver Stone finally started production on the film The Doors, based on the story of the band of the same name.[27] Kilmer spoke with Oliver Stone early on, concerned about what he might want to do with the story because Kilmer did not believe in or want to promote substance abuse. Kilmer saw Jim Morrison as having picked the wrong heroes, who had different issues, which were not part of the creativity or inspiration. Kilmer saw Morrison's story as one that could be told "a thousand different ways" and did not want to tell it by playing the role in the style of drugs, with which Oliver Stone agreed.[citation needed] Kilmer memorized the lyrics to all of lead singer Morrison's songs prior to his audition and sent a video of himself performing some Doors songs to director Stone.[28] Stone was not impressed with the tape, but Paul A. Rothchild (the original producer of the Doors) said "I was shaken by it" and suggested they record Kilmer in the studio. After Kilmer was cast as Morrison, he prepared for the role by attending Doors tribute concerts and reading Morrison's poetry.[29]
He spent close to a year before production dressing in Morrison-like clothes and spent time at Morrison's old hangouts along the Sunset Strip. His portrayal of Morrison was praised and members of the Doors noted that Kilmer did such a convincing job that they had trouble distinguishing his voice from Morrison's.[27] Paul Rothchild played Kilmer's version of "The End" for the band's guitarist, Robby Krieger, who told him, "I'm really glad they got 'The End'. We never got a recording of that live with Jim and now we've got it." However, Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek was less than enthusiastic with how Morrison was portrayed in Stone's interpretation.[30]
In the early 1990s, Kilmer starred in the mystery thriller Thunderheart, the action comedy The Real McCoy, and again teamed with Top Gun director Tony Scott to play Elvis Presley in True Romance, which was written by Quentin Tarantino. In 1993, Kilmer played Doc Holliday in the western Tombstone alongside Kurt Russell.[31] In the film, Doc Holliday performs Chopin's Nocturne in E minor, Op.72, No. 1; however, Kilmer did not play the piano and he practiced that one piece for months in preparation.[32] In 1995, Kilmer starred in Wings of Courage, a 3D IMAX film, and that same year, he starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat, which is now considered one of the best crime/drama films of the 1990s.[33]
In December 1993 Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher had seen Tombstone and was most impressed with Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday. Schumacher felt him to be perfect for the role of Batman, though at the time, the role was still Michael Keaton's.[34] In July 1994, Keaton decided not to return for a third Batman film after 1992's Batman Returns,[35] due to "creative differences".[34] William Baldwin (who previously worked with Schumacher on Flatliners) was reported to be a top contender, though just days after Keaton dropped out, Kilmer was cast.[35] Kilmer took the role without even knowing who the new director was and without reading the script.[34]
Released in June 1995, Batman Forever was a success at the box office,[36] despite receiving mixed reviews from critics.[37] There was debate about Kilmer's performance: some critics, such as The New York Times' Janet Maslin, thought Kilmer was a poor successor to Keaton in the part;[38] while others, such as Roger Ebert, had kind words for Kilmer.[39] Batman co-creator Bob Kane said in a Cinescape interview that of all the actors to have played Batman up to that point, he felt Kilmer had given the best interpretation. Film critic Leonard Maltin (who criticized the dark tone contained in Batman Returns) complimented Kilmer's portrayal when he reviewed the film in his 2009 movie guide.[40]
In February 1996, Kilmer decided not to return for another Batman feature film, feeling that Batman was being marginalized in favor of the villains[41] due to his scheduling problems with The Saint, and George Clooney replaced him as Batman in 1997's Batman & Robin. There were also reports that Kilmer had a bad working relationship with Schumacher, as another reason for not reprising the role.[42][43]
1996–2009: Further career
In 1996 he appeared in a largely unknown film,

Kilmer's first role in 2000 was in the big budget
In 2003, Kilmer starred alongside
Also in 2004, Kilmer returned to the theater to play Moses in a Los Angeles musical production of
Kilmer was in negotiations with
Filmink argued "we're really surprised Kilmer could not make more of a comeback in the 2000s. Was he too chubby? Had he burned too many bridges? Another '90s movie star who hit a cold streak and got jowly Alec Baldwin came back in a big way via 30 Rock, but for whatever reason, Kilmer could never come close to his old glory."[59]
In 2006, Kilmer reunited with director
2010–2025: Later work and final projects
In 2010, Kilmer starred in
In 2012, Kilmer received a
In 2002, Kilmer worked on a film about the life of
In 2017, Kilmer appeared in Song to Song opposite Rooney Mara and Ryan Gosling and directed by Terrence Malick.[69][70] Kilmer also appeared in the 2017 film The Snowman, opposite Michael Fassbender and Rebecca Ferguson and directed by Tomas Alfredson. In August 2020, Kilmer shared the screen with his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, for the first time in Paydirt.[71] Kilmer reprised his role as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky for the Top Gun sequel Top Gun: Maverick (2022).[72] The 2021 documentary film Val, which chronicles his health struggles and career, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim and later earned two Critics' Choice Documentary Awards.[73]
As Kilmer's throat problems affected his vocal abilities, technology solutions were sought. In 2021, he collaborated with Sonantic, a London-based software company, to digitally recreate his voice using AI and archived recordings.[74] More than 40 vocal models were created to find the closest match for future projects.[75][76] For the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick, director Joseph Kosinski stated that, despite reports to the contrary, they did not use Sonantic's AI technology in the film. Instead, Kilmer's actual voice was digitally altered for clarity.[77]
Kilmer had been set to make an appearance at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in Beverly Hills, California on April 1, 2025, hours before his death.[78][79][80]
Personal life
Relationships and family
Over the years, Kilmer dated Cher, Lesley Ann Warren, Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie, Daryl Hannah and Ellen Barkin.[81]
Kilmer was married to actress Joanne Whalley from March 1988 to February 1996.[82] The two met while working together on the 1988 film Willow.[83] They had two children: a daughter, Mercedes, born in 1991, and a son, actor Jack Kilmer, born in 1995.[82][84]
Residences and activities
Kilmer owned a 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) ranch in

Kilmer was an avid musician; he released a
Reputation
Kilmer had a reputation for being difficult to work with and having feuds with some of the actors with whom he worked, notably The Island of Dr. Moreau co-star Marlon Brando and Red Planet and Heat co-star Tom Sizemore.[89] Kilmer's Tombstone co-star, Michael Biehn, said: "People ask me what it's like to work with Val Kilmer. I don't know. Never met him. Never shook his hand. I know Doc Holliday, but I don't know [Kilmer]."[90]
Richard Stanley, who directed Kilmer for three days in The Island of Dr. Moreau before being fired, recalled, "Val would arrive, and an argument would happen."[91] John Frankenheimer, who replaced Stanley, said "I don't like Val Kilmer, I don't like his work ethic, and I don't want to be associated with him ever again." Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher called Kilmer "childish and impossible".[91]
When Kilmer's At First Sight co-star Mira Sorvino was asked about his reputation as "difficult to work with", she responded: "You know what, he was real easy to work with. I just hate furthering rumours about people being difficult, because it can do such enormous damage to their careers. My experience with him was nothing but positive. He was really professional and gentlemanly, and a terrific actor."[92] Kurt Russell, Kilmer's co-star in Tombstone said of working with him: "If you're asking me if it was great working with Val Kilmer, who played Doc Holliday on Tombstone, the answer is absolutely."[93] Drew Barrymore, who costarred with Kilmer in Batman Forever, said of her experience with the actor: "...Val Kilmer was so nice to me. He was so nurturing and kind and safe, which was a very important thing for me."[94]
Hilarie Burton, Kilmer's co-star in Bloodworth, called him "the sweetest man" and said he cut a gratuitous sex scene between them in the film because "it didn't service the story or the character", instead changing it to a scene in which their characters are enjoying barbecued ribs. "I felt so safe and cared for by that man... He made the scene about us instead of using me as a prop. That one day at work rewired my brain. Val was kind to me. A thoughtful artist. I bought some of his paintings a few years back. I hope every young actor has a Val in their life. That movie was a magical experience," she said.[95] David Thewlis, Kilmer's co-star in The Island of Dr. Moreau said of working with him; "I spent the most bizarre 5 months of my entire life with Val Kilmer, out in the Australian rainforest, on the ill fated Island of Dr Moreau. It was so spectacularly bleak and awful it was almost wonderful. Look it up sometime. As Val wrote in his final mail to me: 'What an incredible story we lived, you and I. One of the greatest.'"[96]
Political views and charity work
In 1998, Kilmer traveled to Iraq with AmeriCares to deliver humanitarian aid, the first US humanitarian airlift to Iraq since 1990.[97] Kilmer made several trips to New Orleans to help in the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster relief.[98] He was a supporter of Native American affairs and an advocate of environmental protection.[99] Kilmer briefly considered running for Governor of New Mexico in 2010 but decided against it.[100]
In May 2013, Kilmer lobbied Congress on behalf of the Equitable Access to Care and Health Act, or EACH Act (H.R. 1814), a bill "to provide an additional religious exemption from the individual health coverage mandate" of Obamacare.[101][102]
Health
In 2014, Kilmer was forced to cancel a Citizen Twain show after losing his voice. He noticed a lump in his throat but did not seek medical care until he started vomiting blood.
After previously denying persistent rumors that he had been diagnosed with cancer, Kilmer said in April 2017 that he had experienced a "healing of cancer".[106][107] In December 2017, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Kilmer had endured a "two-year battle with throat cancer" and that "a procedure on his trachea has reduced his voice to a rasp and rendered him short of breath." To speak, Kilmer plugged an electric voice box into his trachea.[108]
He ultimately underwent chemotherapy and two tracheotomies.[108][109][110][107][111] Kilmer reported in 2020 that he had been cancer-free for four years but continued to struggle with medical treatments, including the use of a feeding tube.[112]
Death and tributes
Kilmer died of pneumonia in Los Angeles, on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65.
Upon his death, filmmaker
Filmography
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2025) |
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Top Secret! | Nick Rivers | [122][123] |
1985 | Real Genius | Chris Knight | [122][124] |
1986 | Top Gun | Lt. Tom "Iceman" Kazansky | [122] |
1988 | Willow | Madmartigan | [125][126] |
1989 | Kill Me Again | Jack Andrews | |
1991 | The Doors | Jim Morrison | [122][127] |
1992 | Thunderheart | FBI Agent Ray Levoi | [128][129] |
1993 | The Real McCoy | J.T. Barker | [130] |
Tombstone | Doc Holliday | [122] | |
True Romance | Elvis Presley | [122] | |
1995 | Batman Forever | Bruce Wayne / Batman | [122] |
Heat | Chris Shiherlis | [122] | |
Wings of Courage | Jean Mermoz | Short film | |
1996 | The Island of Dr. Moreau | Dr. Montgomery | [122] |
The Ghost and the Darkness | Col. John Henry Patterson | [131] | |
Dead Girl | Dr. Dark | ||
1997 | The Saint | Simon Templar | [122][132] |
1998 | The Prince of Egypt | Moses / God | Voice[133] |
1999 | At First Sight | Virgil "Virg" Adamson | [134] |
Joe the King | Bob Henry | [122] | |
2000 | Pollock | Willem de Kooning | [135] |
Red Planet | Robby Gallagher, engineer | [122] | |
2002 | The Salton Sea | Danny Parker / Tom Van Allen | [122] |
Hard Cash | FBI Agent Mark C. Cornell | Direct-to-video | |
2003 | Wonderland | John Holmes | [122][136] |
The Missing | Lieutenant Jim Ducharme | [137] | |
Blind Horizon | Frank Kavanaugh | ||
Masked and Anonymous | Animal Wrangler | ||
2004 | Spartan | Sergeant John / Bobby Scott | [122] |
Stateside | Staff Sergeant Skeer | [138] | |
Alexander | Philip II of Macedon | [139][140] | |
George and the Dragon | "El Cabillo" | Uncredited cameo | |
2005 | Mindhunters | FBI Agent Jake Harris | [141] |
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | Perry Van Shrike | [122][142] | |
2006 | Summer Love | "The Wanted Man" | Direct-to-video |
Moscow Zero | Andrey | ||
10th & Wolf | Murtha | ||
Played | Dillon | Direct-to-video | |
Déjà Vu | Agent Paul Pryzwarra | [143] | |
2007 | Have Dreams, Will Travel | Henderson | |
2008 | Conspiracy | William "Spooky" MacPherson | Direct-to-video |
Felon | John Smith | ||
Delgo | General Bogardus | Voice | |
2:22 | Maz | Direct-to-video | |
Columbus Day | John | Direct-to-video; also producer | |
The Love Guru | Val Kilmer | Uncredited cameo[143] | |
2009 | The Chaos Experiment | James Pettis | Direct-to-video[144][145] |
Streets of Blood | Detective Andy Devereaux | ||
American Cowslip | Todd Inglebrink | ||
The Thaw | Dr. David Kruipen | Direct-to-video | |
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans | Detective Stevie Pruit | [143][146] | |
Hardwired | Virgil Kirkhill | Direct-to-video | |
Double Identity | Dr. Nicholas Pinter / John Charter | ||
2010 | The Traveler | The Stranger / Mr. Nobody / Stanley Happerton | |
Bloodworth | Warren Bloodworth | ||
MacGruber | Dieter Von Cunth | [122] | |
Gun | Angel | Direct-to-video[147] | |
2011 | Kill the Irishman | Detective Joe Manditski / Narrator | |
Blood Out | Arturo | Direct-to-video | |
5 Days of War | Dutch Journalist | ||
Twixt | Hall Baltimore | [122] | |
2012 | Seven Below | Bill McCormick | Direct-to-video |
Wyatt Earp's Revenge | Older Wyatt Earp | ||
The Fourth Dimension | Val Kilmer | Segment: "Lotus Community Workshop" | |
Breathless | Dale | Direct-to-video | |
2013 | Riddle | Sheriff Richards | |
Planes | Bravo | Voice | |
Standing Up | Hofstadder | ||
Palo Alto | Stewart | ||
2014 | Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn | Mark Twain | |
2017 | Song to Song | Duane | [143] |
The Snowman | Gert Rafto | ||
The Super | Walter | ||
2019 | Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | Val Kilmer / Reboot Bluntman | Cameo[148] |
1st Born | Biden | ||
Cinema Twain | Mark Twain | Filmed version of Citizen Twain.[68] | |
2020 | A Soldier's Revenge | C.J. Connor | |
Paydirt | Sheriff Tucker | ||
2021 | The Birthday Cake | Uncle Angelo | |
Val | Himself | Documentary; also cinematographer, producer, and writer | |
2022 | Top Gun: Maverick | Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky | Voice generated with technology[122] |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | ABC Afterschool Special | Episode: "One Too Many"; filmed in 1983 | |
1986 | The Murders in the Rue Morgue | Phillipe Huron | Television film[149][150][151] |
1987 | The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains | Robert Eliot Burns / Eliot Roberts | |
1989 | Billy the Kid | William H. Bonney / Billy the Kid | |
2000 | Saturday Night Live | Himself | Episode: "Val Kilmer/U2" |
2004 | Entourage | The Sherpa | Episode: "The Script and the Sherpa"[152] |
2007 | Numb3rs
|
Mason Lancer | Episode: "Trust Metric" |
2008 | Comanche Moon | Inish Scull | Miniseries; also associate producer[153][154] |
XIII: The Conspiracy | Mongoose | Television film | |
2008–2009 | Knight Rider | KITT | Voice; uncredited[155] |
2013 | Life's Too Short | Himself | Episode: "Special" |
Ghost Ghirls | Sweetriver Jackson | 2 episodes | |
2014 | The Spoils of Babylon | General Cauliffe | 3 episodes |
Psych | Detective Dobson | Episode: "The Break-Up" | |
2021 | The Choe Show | Himself | |
2022 | Willow | Madmartigan | Archive footage |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Venue | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | Henry IV, Part 1 | Hotspur/Ensemble | Delacorte Theatre, Off-Broadway | [citation needed] |
1982 | As You Like It | Orlando | The Guthrie Theatre
|
|
1983 | The Slab Boys | Alan Downie | Playhouse Theatre, Broadway | |
1988 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Colorado Shakespeare Festival | |
1992 | 'Tis Pity She's a Whore | Giovanni | The Public Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
2004 | The Ten Commandments: The Musical | Moses | Kodak Theatre , Los Angeles
|
|
2005 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | Frank | Playhouse Theatre, London | |
2012 | Citizen Twain | Mark Twain | The Masonic Lodge, Los Angeles | One-man theater performance, which was filmed[156] |
Video games
Year | Title | Voice role |
---|---|---|
2011 | Spider-Man: Edge of Time | Walker Sloan |
Music videos
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | "To Be the Best" | Himself | Tenacious D |
2016 | "Animals" | Oneohtrix Point Never |
Awards and nominations
Year | Association | Category | Project | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Actor | The Doors | Nominated | [157] |
2021 | Critics' Choice Documentary Awards | Most Compelling Documentary Subject | Val | Won | [158] |
Best Narration | Won | [159] | |||
2012 | Grammy Award
|
Best Spoken Word Album
|
The Mark of Zorro | Nominated | [160] |
1991 | MTV Movie Award
|
Best Male Performance | The Doors | Nominated | [161] |
1993 | Most Desirable Male | Tombstone | Nominated | ||
Best Male Performance | Nominated | ||||
1995 | Most Desirable Male | Batman Forever / Heat | Nominated | ||
2011 | Best Villain | MacGruber | Nominated | ||
2005 | Satellite Award
|
Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | Won | [162] |
2022 | Humanitarian Award | Won | |||
1995 | Saturn Award
|
Best Supporting Actor | Heat | Nominated | |
2005 | Kiss Kiss Bang Bang | Nominated |
Bibliography
Memoir
- Kilmer, Val (2020). I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-9821-4489-0.[163]
Poetry
- Kilmer, Val (1987). My Edens After Burns. Blue Feather. ISBN 978-0-9324-8220-4.
- Kilmer, Val (2021). Cowboy Poet Madman Outlaw: Selected Poems 1987-2020. A24. ISBN 978-1-7339-9206-0.
References
- ^ a b c "Val Kilmer Biography: Film Actor (1959–)". Biography.com. FYI / A&E Networks. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- ^ "Top Stars at the Worldwide Box Office (Rank 501–600)". The Numbers. Archived from the original on January 14, 2025. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
- ^ "Thunderheart". rogerebert.suntimes.com. October 12, 2012. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ Kilmer 2020.
- ^ "Obituary for Gladys Leach". wickenburgfuneralhome.com. Wickenburg Funeral Home & Crematory. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ "Eugene D. Kilmer; Industrialist, Developer". Los Angeles Times. April 30, 1993.
- ^ "Val Kilmer's Last Tango in Pecos". blackbookmag.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
- ^ Leith, William (March 26, 2004). "A solitary man". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ Kennedy, Dana (April 21, 2002). "A Long-Lingering Grief That Serves a New Role". The New York Times. p. 54. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
...his younger brother Wesley, who drowned 25 years ago. Kilmer has another brother, Ian Robert Greenfield (Kilmer), born April 9th 1979. ... Despite the passage of time, Mr. Kilmer, 42, was still haunted by his brother's death... [He] was 15 and an aspiring filmmaker when he died.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
- ^ Riley, Jenelle (April 30, 2020). "From 'Top Gun' to '10 Commandments,' Val Kilmer's New Book Details Highs and Lows". Variety. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
- ^ Murphy, Geoffrey (December 2005). "Batman Returns to His Cave". The Juilliard Journal. Juilliard School. Archived from the original on September 2, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
Kilmer was accepted to Juilliard, the youngest person to be admitted to the Drama Division. (This record survived until the arrival of current third-year student Seth Numrich, who was accepted at age 15.)
- ^ Mr. Showbiz. Archived from the originalon December 21, 2005. Retrieved October 24, 2009 – via planetkilmer.com.
It's probably the hardest role I've ever played.
- ^ Dening, Penelope (December 19, 1998). "Val finds his voice". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on March 11, 2005. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
I turned down a role in The Outsiders, because I was doing Shakespeare at the time and I thought it was right to stay with the play. I don't think I would have made the same choice now. Because great careers came out of that. Tom Cruise and a whole bunch of actors.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (May 20, 1985). "Teen-Age Drinking Examined". The New York Times.
- ^ "Val Kilmer". RetroJunk. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
- ^ Bookride. "Bookride". Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ K. Kamarauskas. "VAL KILMER at THESPIAN NET".
- ^ "Val Kilmer". Yahoo Movies.
- ^ "Legendary Actors And Actresses Revisited – Val Kilmer – Movies Talk". Movies Talk. September 11, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
- ^ "Kilmer's Regret over Early Decisions". ContactMusic. November 2, 2005. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
- ^ "Top Gun". The Numbers.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2005. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
- ^ "Val Kilmer: A brilliant, underrated and unpredictable film star". BBC. April 2, 2025.
- ^ a b Weber, Bruce (April 1, 2025). "Val Kilmer, Film Star Who Played Batman and Jim Morrison, Dies at 65". The New York Times. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Variety Staff (January 1, 1989). "Kill Me Again". Variety. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ ISBN 1-85410-444-6.
- ^ Hall, Carla (March 3, 1991). "Val Kilmer, Lighting the Fire". The Washington Post. pp. G1.
- ^ "Val Kilmer". Alexander-the-great.co.uk. Archived from the original on April 26, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2006.
- ISBN 0-399-14399-8.
- ^ Cosmatos, George P. (December 25, 1993), Tombstone (Biography, Drama, History), Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Hollywood Pictures, Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Alphaville Films, retrieved April 2, 2025
- ^ Hedash, Kara (December 31, 2023). "Does Val Kilmer Really Play The Piano In Tombstone? Doc Holliday Scene Explained". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Heat (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
- ^ a b c Nathan, Ian (August 1995). "Hold me, thrill me, kiss me, Kilmer". Empire. pp. 108–117.
- ^ a b Gordinier, Jeff (July 15, 1994). "Next at Batman". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- ^ "Batman Forever". The Numbers.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2006. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
- ^ "Batman Forever (1995)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 11, 2006.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (June 16, 1995). "FILM REVIEW: BATMAN FOREVER; New Challenges for the Caped Crusader". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (June 16, 1995). "Batman Forever". Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago, Illinois. Retrieved November 2, 2018 – via rogerebert.com.
- ISBN 9780452289789.
- ^ a b Daly, Steve; Thompson, Anne (March 8, 1996). "A Tights Squeeze". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
- ^ Hadley, Glenn (October 17, 2016). "Val Kilmer: Why Did The 'Batman Forever' Star Get Replaced In 'Batman And Robin?'". The Inquisitr. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
- ^ Goldman, Andrew (August 2019). "In Conversation: Joel Schumacher". New York.
I said he was psychotic
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External links
- Official website
- Val Kilmer at the Internet Broadway Database
- Val Kilmer at IMDb
- Val Kilmer at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
- Val Kilmer at the TCM Movie Database
- Val Kilmer discography at Discogs