Kilmer’s breakout role came as LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun (1986). That was followed by the fantasy film Willow (1988). His big break as a leading man came with his swaying, leather-clad portrayal of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors.

Val Kilmer’s unexpected demise has come as a shocker to many. The Heat actor was suffering from pneumonia when he died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

The truly great Val Kilmer, no doubt one of the best to ever do it (not to mention a beacon of artistic resilience in his later years), is dead. The actor and artist and all-around force of unbridled creativity,