Val Kilmer died on April 1 at the age of 65 from pneumonia. His death followed a long period of health challenges, including a battle with throat cancer that permanently affected his voice.
Kilmer’s death led to an outpouring of tributes across the entertainment industry. Saturday Night Live recognized the actor during its latest episode, acknowledging his 2000 appearance as host. During that episode, Kilmer performed sketches including a parody of his role as Iceman from Top Gun. He hosted alongside musical guest U2.
Kilmer trained at Juilliard and worked across genres throughout his career. He appeared in films such as The Doors, Batman Forever, Tombstone, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Saint, Willow, and Thunderheart. His final screen appearance came in Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised the role of Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, despite speaking limitations caused by his illness.
At CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Tom Cruise opened his appearance with a statement about Kilmer. “I really can’t tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a human being, and how grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick,” Cruise told the audience.
Cruise reflected on Kilmer’s approach to acting and asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence. “He loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us with his performances,” he said. “Thank you for doing that. I know he’d appreciate that.”
Cruise was attending the convention to promote Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, scheduled for release in May.
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Will Forte, who worked with Kilmer on Saturday Night Live, shared memories in an essay published by Vulture. Forte described personal and professional moments with Kilmer, calling their friendship one of his most valued. He also joked that his biggest career regret was not competing with Kilmer on The Amazing Race.
Other public figures, including Nicolas Cage and director Michael Mann, released statements honoring Kilmer’s life and work. Kilmer had appeared in Mann’s Heat and shared screen time with Cage in Wild at Heart.
The most recent episode of SNL was hosted by Jack Black, with musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlile. The tribute to Kilmer aired during the show as part of its regular programming.
