Val Kilmer is an American actor who was famous for his role as the infamous Iceman in “Top Gun.” He died in the month of April, at the age of 65. The cause of death was pneumonia, as declared by his daughter. The illness of Val was followed by the throat cancer that was diagnosed in 2014, and he went under tracheostomy, chemotherapy, and radiation before going into remission.
| Category | Classification |
| Name | Val Edward Kilmer |
| Birthdate | December 31, 1959 |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California |
| Died | April 1, 2025 |
| Place of death | Los Angeles, California |
| Spouse | Joanne Whalley (February 1988- February 1996) |
| Parents | Gladys Swanette Kilmer and Eugene Dorris Kilmer |
| Children | Mercedes and Jack |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches |
Val Kilmer was born on December 31, 1959. His father was an aerospace equipment distributor and a real estate developer, and his mother had a career in advertising. His parents got divorced when he was a child, and his younger brother, Wesley, died after having an epileptic seizure at the age of 15 years old on the way to the hospital. He got trauma from his brother’s death and this was informed by the performance of Kilmer in “The Salton Sea” in 2002.
He began his acting career while he was at Chatsworth High School. His classmates Kevin Spacey and Mare Winningham later also became famous actors. Kilmer also attended the Hollywood Professional School and Juilliard School in New York City.
He was 17 years old, the youngest student who was accepted to the drama division at the time. Kilmer began his professional career in the New York theatre scene. He got different roles in the early 1980s, including in his drama “The Slab Boys.” He made his debut in the spy spoof “Top Secret.”
Parents
Val Edward was the son of Gladys Swanette and Eugene Dorris Kilmer, a real estate developer. His father died in 1993, and his mother died in 2019. His mother was of Swedish descent, and his other ancestry included Irish, German, and Cherokee. His parents got divorced in 1968 when he was eight years old; his mother then married in 1970 to William Bernard Leach. Val’s younger brother Wesley had epilepsy, and he died while drowning in a jacuzzi at the age of 15.
Val Kilmer has a long list of dating; he dated Cher, Cindy Crawford, Angeline Jolie, Daryl Hannah, and Ellen Barkin. He faces a significant heartbreak in his life and revealed in his memoir that he had not dated for about 20 years and stated that he is a lonely part of every day.
He married the actress Joanne Whalley in 1988; they met on the set of “Willow”, where they worked together. The couple also had two children together, one daughter named Mercedes, who was born in 1991 and one son, who was born in 1995. The couple parted their ways in 1996.
Val was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, at the initial he was not willing to get treatment because of his religious beliefs. He underwent chemotherapy and had two tracheostomies because of the disease and treatment; his voice was affected, and he faces difficulty in speaking. Despite his illness, he stays active in his career and appears in documentaries and also reprises his role as Iceman in “Top Gun”; this moment was emotional for Val’s fans.
In later years, he focused on art, poetry, and spirituality. He battles with his illness, and it is a significant part of his journey. He did not depart from the public and embraced his journey in his 2021 documentary Val. He attempts a wide range of roles and embraces all the challenges. He is a phenomenal actor who gave a performance that was remembered for years.
Val was a leading man in a variety of genres; his achievements include iconic roles like Iceman in “Top Gun” and Batman in “Batman Forever.” He received a Grammy Nomination for his work on “The Mark of Zorro” and different awards, like the Maverick Tribute Award at the Cinequest Film Festival and the Humanitarian Award at the Satellite Awards. He also receives accolades for the documentary Val. His humanitarian efforts are important and recognised by his fans and the film industry.
The late Val Kilmer had an impressive collection of cars. He had different power cars; he was a real gearhead. The car collection of Val is well esteemed, and he has a classic 1969 Pontiac GTO, a Porsche Panamera, and a Plymouth Prowler.
In 2025, the net worth of Val Kilmer is estimated to be around $10 million. The acting career of Val was disrupted in recent years because of his disrupted health. He was one of the most recognisable actors in the 90s and made his wealth from the high-paying projects like “Batman Forever” and “The Saint.” His fortune was made through theatre and the sale of a vast New Mexican property.
Val Kilmer was born on December 31, 1959 and died because of pneumonia on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65. The daughter of Val, Mercedes Kilmer, announced to US media and revealed that her father had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, but later he recovered. The other contributing factors towards his death include acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and malnutrition.
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