Val Kilmer, known for playing Batman in “Batman Forever” and Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” passed away at 65 in Los Angeles on Tuesday. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said he died from pneumonia. She also shared that he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but had recovered.
In 1991, Val Kilmer played one of his most famous roles as Jim Morrison in the movie “The Doors” by Oliver Stone. Reports say he was so dedicated to the role that he even dressed like the legendary singer for almost a year.
In 1995, Kilmer took over the role of Batman from Michael Keaton in “Batman Forever.” However, his performance got mixed reviews, and he was later replaced by George Clooney in “Batman & Robin” (1997)
According to Variety, Kilmer lost his ability to speak due to cancer, but he still returned to acting in 2021 for “Top Gun: Maverick” with Tom Cruise. That same year, a documentary about his life, called “Val,” was released.
The documentary “Val” revealed that Kilmer’s son lent his voice to him, and the filmmakers used old recordings of Kilmer’s voice from over the years.
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Chatsworth, Kilmer attended Hollywood Professional School and later studied at Juilliard School. He began his career with Broadway plays and TV shows before moving to films.
He also did voice work for animated films like “The Prince of Egypt” and starred alongside Hollywood legends such as Robert Downey Jr. and Denzel Washington. Kilmer was even nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Performance.
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