Val Kilmer, known for playing Batman, passes away at 65

File Photo of Val Kilmer. (Source: Reuters)

Veteran Hollywood actor Val Kilmer, widely recognized for portraying Batman in Batman Forever, has passed away at the age of 65.

According to The New York Post report, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, stated that pneumonia was the cause of his passing. She also noted that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but had later recovered.

Val Kilmer was among Hollywood’s most prominent leading men in the 1990s, known for his striking performances and commanding screen presence. However, a string of career missteps, clashes with directors and co-stars, and a series of box office disappointments eventually overshadowed his early success. Over the years, Kilmer developed a reputation for being intense, perfectionistic, and sometimes difficult to work with, earning a label as a temperamental artist.

Kilmer made his film debut in 1984 with the spy parody Top Secret!, followed by a lead role in the quirky comedy Real Genius (1985). His breakthrough came in 1986 when he starred alongside Tom Cruise in the blockbuster Top Gun, portraying the cool and confident naval aviator Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. Decades later, he reprised the beloved role in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), reuniting with Cruise in a highly emotional and celebrated performance.

In 1995, Kilmer stepped into the iconic role of Batman in Batman Forever, a visually extravagant but critically lukewarm installment of the franchise. While the film performed well at the box office, Kilmer’s portrayal was overshadowed by the flamboyant performances of co-stars Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey. He ultimately declined to return for the sequel, and director Joel Schumacher later described him as "the most psychologically troubled human being I've ever worked with."

Also read: Comedian-actor Kevin Hart to perform in India for the first time in April

On the personal front, Kilmer was married to British actress Joanne Whalley, with whom he had two children before their eventual divorce.