Tom Cruise Honors “Dear Friend” & Late Top Gun Costar Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer could be Tom Cruise’s wingman anytime.
Two days after his Top Gun costar died from pneumonia at the age of 65, the Mission: Impossible actor took a moment to pay tribute to the Iceman actor during CinemaCon at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace.
“I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” Tom said onstage April 3. “I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.”
And before he went on, the 62-year-old encouraged the audience to join him in reflecting on Val’s expansive career. Indeed, the actor—who was previously diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014—left a lasting legacy through roles spanning from the titular superhero in 1995’s Batman Forever to his thrilling action flicks with Tom.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us,” Tom continued. “Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.”
And after a moment of silence, the Jerry Maguire star gushed about Val’s knack for storytelling, comparing him to legendary producer Irving Thalberg, who was a pioneer in the early years of motion pictures.
“This man forged through it all and was able to create epic adventures for global audiences,” Tom noted. “You are an artist for all time. You are our modern-day Thalberg.”
After all, it was just two years before Val’s tragic passing that he joined Tom in what would be his final acting project, 2023’s Top Gun: Maverick. And while they were filming, Val expressed nothing but admiration for his costar.
"Tom commands a lot of respect and it was a joy to be in such a comfortable setting," the Kiss Kiss Bang Bangstar told Collider in 2022. "We are paid to act and that’s what we did in the scene, but doing so with a class act like Tom made it a pleasure, and less like work!"
But Tom wasn’t the only one that admired Val’s talents and character throughout his expansive career. Indeed, stars like Josh Brolin, Josh Gad and Heat director Michael Mann also took a moment to remember the impact Val left on their lives and mourn his passing.
“See ya, pal,” Josh wrote on Instagram the day of Val’s passing, alongside a photo of the two smiling. “I'm going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There's not a lot left of those.”
“I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there,” the Marvel actor continued. “Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
For a look at Val’s life in photos, keep reading.
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