Val Kilmer – who was renowned for playing fan favourite Iceman in Top Gun – sadly passed away yesterday from pneumonia at the age of 65 after a ten-year battle with throat cancer
New details on Val Kilmer’s death have emerged with reports stating that the Hollywood legend “couldn’t keep fighting”. The actor – who was famed for playing fan favourite Iceman in Top Gun – died yesterday at the age of 65 from pneumonia. The star had a decade-long battle with throat cancer before overcoming the illness in 2016.
It has now been reported that Val was bed bound for several years before his death. After rounds of chemotherapy and finally beating cancer, Val’s body had given up, a source close to his family told TMZ. They told the publication that the actor succumbed to a “lack of energy related to his cancer treatment”.
They added that “while he was cancer free”, the actor’s body “couldn’t keep fighting and shut down”.
They continued by saying that the star was “very frail” and that his health “suddenly declined in the past week”. Val was rushed to hospital and was surrounded by friends and family before his body shut down. The Mirror has reached out to Val’s estate for comment.
Following his cancer diagnosis, Kilmer underwent both radiotherapy and chemotherapy. He also had a tracheostomy, which is a procedure to create an artificial hole in this neck, in order to help him breathe. Chemotherapy can cause extreme fatigue and neuropathy – a class of nerve damage that can cause weakness and numbness.
Val’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, revealed that her father had recovered from a throat cancer diagnosis, which he received in 2014. A year later, he had to be rushed to hospital to treat severe bleeding in his throat. The tumour was the result of oral cancer. Val was reportedly rushed to hospital earlier this year and his last admission was just last week.
Tributes poured in as family, friends and fans mourned the loss of the legendary actor.
Josh Brolin was one of the stars to lead tributes to Kilmer. In a message posted online, he wrote: “See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
“RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon,” actor Josh Gad shared. The official Top Gun movie account also paid tribute to Val – who played Iceman in the movie franchise: “Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman.”
Kilmer was well known for his impressive role as Iceman in the 1986 hit movie Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise. He also starred in Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever (1995, while also famously playing musician Jim Morrison in the 1991 film The Doors.
His success led to his own documentary entitled Val on Amazon Prime, in which he spoke candidly about his career and cancer journey.
Val took a step away from acting before his death, with his last role being a cameo in Top Gun: Maverick, back in 2022.
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