Tom Cruise’s emotional tribute to ‘Top Gun’ co-star Val Kilmer after he died at 65 Year

Tom Cruise has paid an emotional tribute to his Top Gun co-star Val Kilmer following the legendary actor’s death earlier this week.

Val Kilmer has passed away at the age of 65. Credit: Rob Loud/Getty Images

As widely reported, the late actor died at the age of 65 on Tuesday (April 1) night in Los Angeles, with his daughter Mercedes confirming the cause of death was pneumonia.

The actor had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and underwent chemotherapy and two tracheotomies that permanently affected his voice.

Despite the health challenges, Kilmer continued working for several years, even returning to the screen for one final performance in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick.

Kilmer and Cruise on the set of Top Gun. Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

Born in Los Angeles in 1959, Kilmer was one of the youngest ever admitted to Juilliard’s acting program. He launched his career on stage before landing breakout roles in Top Secret! and Real Genius.

His portrayal of Iceman in Top Gun (1986) made him a star, followed by critically acclaimed turns as Jim Morrison in The Doors, Doc Holliday in Tombstone, and Batman in Batman Forever. He also starred in Heat, Willow, and numerous smaller films and stage productions later in life.

Following his death, Tom Cruise paid a powerful tribute during Paramount Pictures’ presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Appearing on stage at The Colosseum, the Mission Impossible star led a moment of silence for Kilmer, calling him a “dear friend,” per BBC News.

“I can’t tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a human being and how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun,” he told the audience, which was filled with movie theatre owners and industry figures.

He bowed his head in the vast theatre and added, “Thank you, Val – wish you well on your next journey.”

Kilmer’s final film appearance came in Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised his role as Iceman, now a four-star admiral, alongside Cruise.

Due to his condition, Kilmer’s character communicates by typing on a screen, but he speaks one emotional line: “The Navy needs Maverick.” The scene ends with an embrace and a light-hearted jab about who the better pilot is.

Cruise, who had waited to comment publicly, also spoke about the experience on Jimmy Kimmel Live!: “I was crying, I was crying. I got emotional…He’s such a brilliant actor. I love his work.”

Tom Cruise led a moment of silence in honor of Val Kilmer at the Paramount Pictures Presentation. Credit: Gilbert Flores / Getty

Tributes poured in from colleagues and admirers following news of his passing, including director Francis Ford Coppola, who wrote: “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.”

Though celebrated for his performances, Kilmer carried a reputation for being difficult on set. Director Joel Schumacher said: “I pray I don’t work with [Kilmer] again… we had two weeks where he did not speak to me, but it was bliss.” John Frankenheimer added, “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.”

Kilmer later addressed that perception in a 2017 Reddit Q&A: “I didn’t do enough hand-holding and flattering and reassuring to the financier. I only cared about the acting and that didn’t translate to caring about the film or all that money… I was often unhappy trying to make pictures better.”

In the Val documentary, he reflected further: “I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some. I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed. And I am blessed.”

Kilmer is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack.