The legendary former Top Gun and Batman Forever star Val Kilmer died on April 1 after a battle with pneumonia. He was 65 years-old. Now, sad new details about Kilmer’s final days are coming to light.
Kilmer’s Cause Of Death
A death certificate obtained by TMZ has confirmed that pneumonia was Kilmer’s official cause of death. However, his death certificate also listed out other underlying causes. These included “acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue.”
“Squamous cell carcinoma – also known as laryngeal cancer, is a type of cancer that develops in the thin, flat cells lining the throat, including the larynx and pharynx,” according to Daily Mail.
Kilmer battled throat cancer eleven years ago. This resulted in him undergoing two emergency tracheotomies that permanently impacted his speech.
Though Kilmer revealed in 2020 that he had been cancer-free for four years, his death certificate indicates that it had recurred.
Malnutrition was also listed as a contributing factor in Kilmer’s death, as was “tracheocutaneous fistula.” The latter is an “abnormal communication between the trachea and the skin.” It typically occurs when a tracheostomy tube is removed.
Kilmer’s Difficult Final Years And Days
Sources told TMZ that Kilmer was confined to his bed for years before his death. An insider close to Kilmer’s family told the publication that the actor “simply couldn’t keep fighting at the end,” adding that “his body eventually shut down.”
Family sources said that Kilmer was left with little energy after his cancer treatments. They also said that his death wasn’t sudden, as his health had been declining rapidly in the final week of his life. Days before his death, Kilmer’s family rushed to the hospital to be by his side, as they knew the end was near.
Some fans were confused by this, as Kilmer had last posted on Instagram just over a month before his death. On February 23, he posted a video of himself wearing a Batman mask, eluding to the title role that he played in the 1995 movie Batman Forever. However, his family has since confirmed that this video was filmed years ago. They also said that it is not indicative of how Kilmer looked in the final months of his life.
Kilmer’s death was announced by his daughter Mercedes.
“Thank you for honoring our extraordinary father’s memory,” she told People Magazine. “We are so proud of him and honored to see his legacy celebrated. At this time, we would like to grieve privately.”
Related: Val Kilmer Talks Emotional Return In ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Tom Cruise Honors Kilmer
Two days after Kilmer’s death, his former Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick co-star Tom Cruise honred him at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I’d like to take a moment before we get started today to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” Cruise, 62, said as the crowd cheered. “I can’t tell you how much I admired his work and him as a human being, how grateful and honored I was that he joined Top Gun and came back for Top Gun: Maverick.”
Cruise went on to say that “it would be really nice if we could just have a moment all together and just take a moment because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us with his performances with his films. If we could just all take a moment and just think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.”
“Thank you Val,” Cruise concluded after leading a moment of silence. “I wish you well on your next journey. Thank you all for doing that. I know he appreciates it.”
Full Story: Tom Cruise Honors His ‘Top Gun’ Co-Star Val Kilmer With Touching Tribute After His Death
Kilmer was a true legend, and there will never be another one like him. Rest in peace, Val Kilmer.
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