Val Kilmer’s cause of death confirmed through official death certificate, confirms report

Val Kilmer had been fighting major health concerns for years before his death.

Veteran actor Val Kilmer passed away on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65. The police have now confirmed the exact reason for his death.

TMZ accessed the death certificate from the Los Angeles County Department of Health, which stated that the Top Gun actor died of pneumonia.

The list included "acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue."

Val Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, previously told The New York Times that her dad died from pneumonia.

She also discussed his lengthy battle with throat cancer, which began in 2014. Despite his eventual recovery, the illness had a significant influence on him.

Val Kilmer had been fighting major health concerns for years before his death. After being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015, the therapy severely damaged his vocal cords, and when he reappeared as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022), producers had to rely on AI technology to replicate his voice.

Val Kilmer once openly discussed his health issues, detailing how cancer had impacted both his personal and professional life.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he had once discussed the impact the illness had on his health and career, as well as how the experience had changed his perspective and work.

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He was resilient and determined not to let cancer derail his career, and he finally returned to the screen with a brief appearance in Top Gun: Maverick.

According to reports, he was bedridden for several months prior to his death. Kilmer's legacy includes memorable parts in films such as Top Gun, The Doors, Batman Forever, and Kill Me Again.