82-463: Val Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959) is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, he found fame after appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! (1984) and Real Genius (1985), as well as the military action film Top Gun (1986) and the fantasy film Willow (1988). Kilmer gained acclaim for his portrayal of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone 's The Doors (1991). He
164-500: A Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word. He also starred in Harmony Korine 's short film The Lotus Community Workshop , part of the collaborative film The Fourth Dimension . He plays a version of himself from an alternate reality: a former actor turned self-help guru. The Fourth Dimension is a collection of three standalone short films about parallel universes produced by Vice Films in collaboration with Grolsch Film Works,
246-457: A London-based software company, to digitally recreate his voice using AI technology and archived audio recordings of his voice. Over 40 vocal models were generated to find the closest match, which could then be used in future projects. For the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick , director Joseph Kosinski said that, despite reports to the contrary, they did not use Sonantic's AI technology in the film, and instead used Kilmer's actual voice, although it
328-566: A United States government secret agent who is assigned the task of rescuing the kidnapped daughter of the President. He received Delta Force -like training in preparation for the role. Subsequently, he had a role in the drama, Stateside , and starred (again with Slater) in the thriller Mindhunters , which was filmed in 2003 but not released until 2005. Kilmer next appeared in the big budget Oliver Stone production, Alexander , which received poor reviews. Also in 2004, Kilmer returned to
410-419: A device that can destroy the entire NATO submarine fleet as part of the government's plot. The East Germans force him to work by threatening to kill his daughter, Hillary. Nick is recaptured and scheduled for execution. The East Germans decide that Nick must perform to avoid an international incident, and he does so to the rapturous joy of the local girls ("How Silly Can You Get"/"Spend This Night with Me"). He
492-414: A fake cow outfit to disable the prison's defenses. While the other members successfully infiltrate the prison, Nigel reveals himself as the traitor, but his plans are ruined by an amorous bull. Dr. Flammond is rescued, but Nigel makes off with Hillary and Nick is forced to rescue her in an underwater bar fight. With their flight about to leave, Hillary chooses to go with Nick and her father to America. After
574-497: A laugh wherever one is even remotely likely to be found." "Weird Al" Yankovic considers this his all-time favorite movie. Jay Bauman of Red Letter Media described it as the best ZAZ film and "maybe one of the best comedies of all time." Top Secret! Top Secret! is a 1984 action comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams , David Zucker , and Jerry Zucker ( ZAZ ) and Martyn Burke. It stars Val Kilmer (in his film debut role) and Lucy Gutteridge alongside
656-438: A member of the local resistance movement who is attempting to avoid the authorities. He pretends to be her date to get to know her, and performs an impromptu song and dance (" Tutti Frutti "), mistakenly thinking he was asked to do so, to the delight of Hillary and the diners, but to the annoyance of General Streck, the mastermind of the "reunification" plot. Nick later sees Hillary at a ballet, where she expects to rendezvous with
738-451: A more fun, less serious action thriller, while enjoying the "master of disguise" chameleon characters like a mad artist, a nerdy British scientist, a cleaner, and a Russian mob boss. Kilmer also wrote the poetry in the film. He received a salary of $ 6 million for the movie. The Saint was a financial success, grossing $ 169.4 million worldwide. In 1998, he voiced Moses in the animated film The Prince of Egypt , before starring in
820-413: A new division of the namesake beer company. Kilmer notes that his addition to the list of actors, including John Malkovich ( Being John Malkovich ) and Al Pacino ( Jack and Jill ), that mock their real-life persona in fictional movies was an accident and says, "I still love saying the premise because it makes me laugh every time." In 2002, Kilmer worked on a film about the life of Mary Baker Eddy ,
902-457: A rasp and rendered him short of breath". In order to speak, Kilmer plugs an electric voice box in his trachea. Although initially reluctant to start medical treatment due to his beliefs, Kilmer underwent chemotherapy and two tracheotomies . Kilmer reported in 2020 that he had been cancer-free for four years, but he detailed ongoing struggles with medical treatments including the use of a feeding tube to eat. In 2021, Kilmer worked with Sonantic,
SECTION 10
#1732794314064984-499: A rescue of Dr. Flammond, where Nigel and Du Quois, a resistance leader, dress up in a fake cow outfit to disable the prison's defenses. While the other members successfully infiltrate the prison, Nigel reveals himself as the traitor, but his plans are ruined by an amorous bull. Dr. Flammond is rescued, but Nigel makes off with Hillary and Nick is forced to rescue her in an underwater bar fight. With their flight about to leave, Hillary chooses to go with Nick and her father to America. After
1066-488: A supporting cast featuring Omar Sharif , Peter Cushing , Michael Gough , and Jeremy Kemp . The film parodies various film styles such as musicals starring Elvis Presley , spy films of the Cold War era and World War II films. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre . Nick Rivers, an American rock star ("Skeet Surfin ' "), travels to East Germany to perform at a cultural festival, which secretly serves
1148-472: A top contender, though just days after Keaton dropped out, Kilmer was cast. Kilmer took the role without even knowing who the new director was and without reading the script. Released in June 1995, Batman Forever was a success at the box office, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. There was debate about Kilmer's performance: some critics, like The New York Times ' Janet Maslin , thought Kilmer
1230-478: Is rescued by Hillary at the end of his performance, after which they spend the night in the loft of a Swedish bookstore. Then Nick plays for her (" Are You Lonesome Tonight? ") and they make love. The next morning, they are moved to the "Potato Farm" where they meet members of the French Resistance , led by Nigel "The Torch", who was Hillary's lover from when they were stranded on an island as youths. Nick
1312-531: Is upset by Hillary's love for Nigel, but accepts that they must work together for the cause. After fighting off an attack by the East Germans (who were tipped off by a mystery traitor) they move to a pizza restaurant, where Nick proves his identity by performing for the locals ("Straighten Out the Rug"). The resistance group stages a rescue of Dr. Flammond, where Nigel and Du Quois, a resistance leader, dress up in
1394-470: The Cold War era and World War II films. The original music score was composed by Maurice Jarre . Nick Rivers, an American rock star ("Skeet Surfin ' "), travels to East Germany to perform at a cultural festival, which secretly serves the East German government as a diversion for a military operation with the intent of reuniting Germany under their rule. At a dinner, Nick encounters Hillary Flammond,
1476-561: The Sunset Strip . His portrayal of Morrison was praised and members of the Doors noted that Kilmer did such a convincing job that they had trouble distinguishing his voice from Morrison's. Paul Rothchild played Kilmer's version of " The End " for the band's guitarist, Robby Krieger , who told him, "I'm really glad they got 'The End'. We never got a recording of that live with Jim and now we've got it." However, Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek
1558-454: The independent film Joe the King (1999). Also in 1999, he played a blind man in the drama/romance At First Sight , which he described as being, of then, the hardest role he had ever had. Kilmer's first role in 2000 was in the big budget Warner Bros. box office disaster Red Planet . That same year, he had a supporting role in the film Pollock and hosted Saturday Night Live for
1640-481: The 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. Kilmer is a supporter of Native American affairs and an advocate of environmental protection . He briefly considered running for Governor of New Mexico in 2010, but decided against it. In May 2013, Kilmer lobbied Congress on behalf of the Equitable Access to Care and Health Act , or EACH Act (H.R. 1814), a bill "to provide an additional religious exemption from
1722-546: The 2017 film The Snowman , opposite Michael Fassbender and Rebecca Ferguson and directed by Tomas Alfredson . In August 2020, Kilmer shared the screen with his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, for the first time in Paydirt . Kilmer reprised his role as Tom "Iceman" Kazansky for the Top Gun sequel Top Gun: Maverick (2022). Kilmer is a lifelong Christian Scientist , and upon his throat cancer diagnosis referred to it in
SECTION 20
#17327943140641804-408: The East German government as a diversion for a military operation with the intent of reuniting Germany under their rule. At a dinner, Nick encounters Hillary Flammond, a member of the local resistance movement who is attempting to avoid the authorities. He pretends to be her date to get to know her, and performs an impromptu song and dance (" Tutti Frutti "), mistakenly thinking he was asked to do so, to
1886-581: The Sony and Stage 6 film Felon . The film was given only a limited theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles in 2008, but it developed into a success secondary to positive word of mouth. Kilmer was the voice of the car KITT for the 2008 Knight Rider TV pilot film and the following television series . He replaced Will Arnett , who had to step down from the role due to contractual conflict with General Motors . In keeping with tradition established by
1968-628: The action film Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise . Top Gun grossed a total of over $ 344 million worldwide and made Kilmer a major star. Following roles in the television films The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains, Kilmer portrayed Madmartigan in the fantasy Willow ; he met his future wife, co-star Joanne Whalley , on the film's set. Kilmer starred in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival production of Hamlet in 1988. In 1989, Kilmer played
2050-548: The action-comedy film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang . His performance was praised and the film was well reviewed, but it received only a limited release. It later won the award for "Overlooked Film of the Year" from the Phoenix Film Critics Society. In 2006, he reunited with director Tony Scott a third time for a supporting role opposite Denzel Washington in the box-office hit Déjà Vu . The song "Val Kilmer"
2132-505: The comedy spoof of spy movies Top Secret! , in which he played an American rock and roll star. Kilmer sang all the songs in the film and released an album under the film character's name, "Nick Rivers". During a brief hiatus, he backpacked throughout Europe before going on to play the lead character in the 1985 comedy Real Genius . He turned down a role in David Lynch 's Blue Velvet before being cast as naval aviator "Iceman" in
2214-546: The comic/video game of XIII on NBC in 2009. In 2010 Kilmer starred in Michael Oblowitz 's horror film The Traveler , in which he played the vengeful spirit of a man who had been tortured and murdered while in police custody. In November 2010, Kilmer was filming in Kelseyville, California . He was finally able to work with his lifelong friend Francis Ford Coppola and star in the film Twixt . The film
2296-488: The delight of Hillary and the diners, but to the annoyance of General Streck, the mastermind of the "reunification" plot. Nick later sees Hillary at a ballet, where she expects to rendezvous with the resistance leader, but is met by the police instead. Nick saves her and they try to escape, but Nick turns himself in so that Hillary can get away. He is taken to a prison where he is questioned and tortured, but he knows nothing and does not break. In an escape attempt, he ends up in
2378-467: The film for his expanding collection of film reviews. Defenders of Batman Forever praised the film for portraying Batman as a more heroic, less ruthless, and more human character than in the Tim Burton films. The film also brought the film interpretation of Bruce Wayne more into line with his comic book counterpart, showing him as a socialite and a very public figure rather than the neurotic recluse of
2460-503: The film were Omar Sharif as Agent Cedric and Peter Cushing as a Swedish bookstore proprietor. The film was test screened at various colleges and as a result of audience responses, the length was cut from around two hours to 90 minutes. The film was scheduled for release on June 8, 1984 but Paramount pushed the date back to June 22, angering some exhibitors. The official reason was that Paramount wanted to avoid competing against Ghostbusters and Gremlins although rumours spread that
2542-503: The film were Omar Sharif as Agent Cedric and Peter Cushing as a Swedish bookstore proprietor. The film was test screened at various colleges and as a result of audience responses, the length was cut from around two hours to 90 minutes. The film was scheduled for release on June 8, 1984 but Paramount pushed the date back to June 22, angering some exhibitors. The official reason was that Paramount wanted to avoid competing against Ghostbusters and Gremlins although rumours spread that
Val Kilmer - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-594: The film, Doc Holliday performs Chopin 's Nocturne in E minor, Op.72, No. 1 ; however, Kilmer does not play the piano and he practiced that one piece for months in preparation. In 1995, Kilmer starred in Wings of Courage , a 3D IMAX film, and that same year, he starred opposite Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat , which is now considered one of the best crime/drama films of the 1990s. In December 1993 Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher had seen Tombstone and
2706-769: The first time. In 2002, he starred in the thriller The Salton Sea , which was generally well-reviewed, but received only a limited release. The same year, he teamed with his True Romance co-star, Christian Slater to appear in the low-budget film, Hard Cash , also known as Run for the Money . In 2003, Kilmer starred alongside Kate Bosworth in the drama/thriller Wonderland , portraying porn star John Holmes . He also appeared in The Missing , where he again worked with Willow director Ron Howard . The next year, he starred in David Mamet 's Spartan , where he played
2788-485: The form of an episode of ABC Afterschool Special called One Too Many , which was an educational drama on drinking and driving; it also starred a young Michelle Pfeiffer . Also in 1983, Kilmer self-published a collection of his own poetry entitled My Edens After Burns, that included poems inspired by his time with Pfeiffer. The book of poems is difficult to obtain and expensive; known second-hand copies cost $ 300 and up. His big break came when he received top billing in
2870-629: The founder of the Christian Science church, and Mark Twain , one of her most famous critics. The film is about the lives and relationship of Eddy and Twain as "a quirky, tender, tragicomic portrait of two contrasting lives, set against the backdrop of Gilded Age America." Citizen Twain was initially performed as a one-man show Hollywood workshop in April 2012; it then became the basis of Kilmer's film project, which would be his directorial debut. The 90-minute film version of his one-man stage show
2952-424: The individual health coverage mandate" of Obamacare . Kilmer is an avid musician; he released a CD called Sessions with Mick in 2007. In January 2015, Kilmer was hospitalized for what his representative said were tests for a possible tumor. Kilmer said on social media, "I have not had a tumor, or a tumor operations [ sic ], or any operation. I had a complication where the best way to receive care
3034-553: The lead in both Kill Me Again , again opposite Whalley, and in TNT 's Billy the Kid . After several delays, director Oliver Stone finally started production on the film The Doors , based on the story of the band of the same name . Kilmer spoke with Oliver Stone early on, concerned about what he might want to do with the story because Kilmer did not believe in or want to promote substance abuse. Kilmer saw Jim Morrison as having picked
3116-531: The original Knight Rider series and original KITT actor William Daniels , Kilmer was uncredited for the role on-screen. He next starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the Werner Herzog film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and alongside Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson in Streets of Blood . Both were released in 2009. He appeared as the main antagonist "Mongoose" in a live TV series adaptation of
3198-509: The performance of Airplane II: The Sequel (although it had different producers from the original), along with "the lack of any clear sense of period, something that may throw viewers who insist on comedic nonessentials like interior logic. It's basically a parody of World War II-French Resistance movies, but along the way it also skewers '50s rock 'n' roll films ... '60s "Beach Party" movies and 'The Blue Lagoon,' among other lampoon-worthy source material." "The lesson we took from Airplane!
3280-509: The performance of Airplane II: The Sequel (although it had different producers from the original), along with "the lack of any clear sense of period, something that may throw viewers who insist on comedic nonessentials like interior logic. It's basically a parody of World War II-French Resistance movies, but along the way it also skewers '50s rock 'n' roll films ... '60s "Beach Party" movies and 'The Blue Lagoon,' among other lampoon-worthy source material." "The lesson we took from Airplane!
3362-509: The press as "the suggestion of throat cancer," opting not to explicitly associate himself with such a diagnosis. He underwent chemotherapy despite it being conventionally against his religion. In 2011, Kilmer sold his 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) ranch in New Mexico , where he would trek, hike, fish, and raise bison . Kilmer has dated Cher , Lesley Ann Warren , Cindy Crawford , Angelina Jolie , Daryl Hannah and Ellen Barkin . Kilmer
Val Kilmer - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-421: The previous films. In February 1996, Kilmer decided not to return for another Batman feature film, feeling that Batman was being marginalized in favor of the villains and because of scheduling problems with The Saint . George Clooney replaced Kilmer as Batman in 1997's Batman & Robin . There were also reports that Kilmer had a bad working relationship with Schumacher, as another reason for not reprising
3526-427: The rapturous joy of the local girls ("How Silly Can You Get"/"Spend This Night with Me"). He is rescued by Hillary at the end of his performance, after which they spend the night in the loft of a Swedish bookstore. Then Nick plays for her (" Are You Lonesome Tonight? ") and they make love. The next morning, they are moved to the "Potato Farm" where they meet members of the French Resistance , led by Nigel "The Torch", who
3608-399: The resistance leader, but is met by the police instead. Nick saves her and they try to escape, but Nick turns himself in so that Hillary can get away. He is taken to a prison where he is questioned and tortured, but he knows nothing and does not break. In an escape attempt, he ends up in the secret prison laboratory of Dr. Paul Flammond, a brilliant scientist developing the "Polaris naval mine",
3690-569: The role Elvis never got but should have", said Abrahams. Lucy Gutteridge, who plays the female lead, had just appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Nicholas Nickleby . Unlike Airplane! , the film does not feature a large number of cameos by famous actors, because, as Zucker explained, "That was one of the jokes in Airplane! and we had done it and wanted to move on." Two well-known actors who were cast in
3772-436: The role Elvis never got but should have", said Abrahams. Lucy Gutteridge, who plays the female lead, had just appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Nicholas Nickleby . Unlike Airplane! , the film does not feature a large number of cameos by famous actors, because, as Zucker explained, "That was one of the jokes in Airplane! and we had done it and wanted to move on." Two well-known actors who were cast in
3854-458: The role. In 1996 he appeared in a largely unknown film, Dead Girl , and starred alongside Marlon Brando in the poorly received The Island of Dr. Moreau . That year, Kilmer starred alongside Michael Douglas in the thriller The Ghost and the Darkness . In 1997 he played Simon Templar in the popular action film, The Saint . Kilmer looked forward to the title role as a change toward
3936-458: The script since Airplane! "but we just couldn't figure out how to do it. We made repeated attempts to combine a rock and roll movie with a World War II movie but it was very difficult to do ... We already had ideas for scenes we wanted to do and we tried to fit in plot around those scenes". A fourth writer, Martyn Burke, was brought in to work on the plot. "If it weren't for Martyn we'd still be sitting in that room", said Jerry Zucker. The film
4018-458: The script since Airplane! "but we just couldn't figure out how to do it. We made repeated attempts to combine a rock and roll movie with a World War II movie but it was very difficult to do ... We already had ideas for scenes we wanted to do and we tried to fit in plot around those scenes". A fourth writer, Martyn Burke, was brought in to work on the plot. "If it weren't for Martyn we'd still be sitting in that room", said Jerry Zucker. The film
4100-435: The secret prison laboratory of Dr. Paul Flammond, a brilliant scientist developing the "Polaris naval mine", a device that can destroy the entire NATO submarine fleet as part of the government's plot. The East Germans force him to work by threatening to kill his daughter, Hillary. Nick is recaptured and scheduled for execution. The East Germans decide that Nick must perform to avoid an international incident, and he does so to
4182-432: The studio was dissatisfied with the film's quality. Producer Jon Davison denied this saying "Paramount has a lot of confidence in the picture or they wouldn't have cared. The mere fact that they've bothered to trouble some of their relationships with exhibitors shows their faith in the picture." The film was considered a box-office bomb , though it still earned $ 20 million. A 1991 article speculated two possible reasons –
SECTION 50
#17327943140644264-432: The studio was dissatisfied with the film's quality. Producer Jon Davison denied this saying "Paramount has a lot of confidence in the picture or they wouldn't have cared. The mere fact that they've bothered to trouble some of their relationships with exhibitors shows their faith in the picture." The film was considered a box-office bomb , though it still earned $ 20 million. A 1991 article speculated two possible reasons –
4346-455: The success of Airplane! the team of ZAZ were unsure of what to do next. They made the TV series Police Squad! but it was cancelled after six episodes. David Zucker explained: We just needed a subject that we would be excited about. Starting out, we didn't have a whole genre like the airplane disaster movies. We were just fans of those black and white World War II movies that were made during
4428-407: The success of Airplane! the team of ZAZ were unsure of what to do next. They made the TV series Police Squad! but it was cancelled after six episodes. David Zucker explained: We just needed a subject that we would be excited about. Starting out, we didn't have a whole genre like the airplane disaster movies. We were just fans of those black and white World War II movies that were made during
4510-453: The team of Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker sending up everything from spy movies to Elvis musicals with reckless, loony abandon." On Metacritic , the film holds a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Roger Ebert rated it 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 out of 4 stars and applauded the humor, noting that "to describe the plot would be an exercise in futility" and "This movie will cheerfully go for
4592-453: The team of Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker sending up everything from spy movies to Elvis musicals with reckless, loony abandon." On Metacritic , the film holds a weighted average score of 68 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Roger Ebert rated it 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 out of 4 stars and applauded the humor, noting that "to describe the plot would be an exercise in futility" and "This movie will cheerfully go for
4674-556: The theater to play Moses in a Los Angeles musical production of The Ten Commandments: The Musical , produced by BCBG founder Max Azria . The production played at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and also featured Adam Lambert . Kilmer had previously played Moses in the animated film The Prince of Egypt . Finally in 2004, Kilmer appeared in an episode of Entourage , where he played a Sherpa whose primary source of income
4756-498: The war. Somehow, we didn't think that was enough: we didn't want to do a period piece, we wanted to make it contemporary. That was the whole concept of 'Top Secret!': that it was not necessarily grounded in reality, but it would have kind of this heightened sense of craziness – even to which genres we were picking, which was a split hybrid between Elvis movies and the World War II movies. David Zucker said they had been working on
4838-437: The war. Somehow, we didn't think that was enough: we didn't want to do a period piece, we wanted to make it contemporary. That was the whole concept of 'Top Secret!': that it was not necessarily grounded in reality, but it would have kind of this heightened sense of craziness – even to which genres we were picking, which was a split hybrid between Elvis movies and the World War II movies. David Zucker said they had been working on
4920-452: The wrong heroes, who had different issues, which were not part of the creativity or inspiration. Kilmer saw Morrison's story as one that could be told "a thousand different ways" and did not want to tell it by playing the role in the style of drugs, with which Oliver Stone agreed. Kilmer memorized the lyrics to all of lead singer Morrison's songs prior to his audition and sent a video of himself performing some Doors songs to director Stone. Stone
5002-736: Was Mare Winningham . He became the youngest person at the time to be accepted into the Juilliard School 's Drama Division, where he was a member of Group 10. Kilmer declined a role in Francis Ford Coppola 's 1983 film The Outsiders , as he had prior theater commitments. In 1983, he appeared off Broadway in The Slab Boys with Kevin Bacon , Sean Penn , and Jackie Earle Haley . That same year, his first off-stage acting role (excluding television commercials) came in
SECTION 60
#17327943140645084-414: Was Hillary's lover from when they were stranded on an island as youths. Nick is upset by Hillary's love for Nigel, but accepts that they must work together for the cause. After fighting off an attack by the East Germans (who were tipped off by a mystery traitor) they move to a pizza restaurant, where Nick proves his identity by performing for the locals ("Straighten Out the Rug"). The resistance group stages
5166-487: Was a poor successor to Keaton in the part; while others, such as Roger Ebert , had kind words for Kilmer. Batman co-creator Bob Kane said in a Cinescape interview that of all the actors to have played Batman up to that point, he felt Kilmer had given the best interpretation. Film critic Leonard Maltin (who criticized the dark tone contained in Batman Returns ) complimented Kilmer's portrayal when he reviewed
5248-410: Was asked about his reputation as "difficult to work with", she responded: "You know what, he was real easy to work with. I just hate furthering rumors about people being difficult, because it can do such enormous damage to their careers. My experience with him was nothing but positive. He was really professional and gentlemanly, and a terrific actor." Kilmer made several trips to New Orleans to help in
5330-658: Was cast as a main character in films such as the western Tombstone (1993), and the crime dramas True Romance (1993) and Heat (1995). He portrayed Batman in Joel Schumacher 's Batman Forever (1995), and continued to star in films such as The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), The Saint (1997), The Prince of Egypt (1998), Alexander (2004), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), and The Snowman (2017). In 2022, Kilmer reprised his role as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick (2022). In 2015, Kilmer
5412-500: Was diagnosed with throat cancer ; he had a procedure on his trachea that damaged his vocal cords to the point where he had extreme difficulty speaking. He also underwent chemotherapy and two tracheotomies . In 2020, he published his memoir, titled I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir . The 2021 documentary film Val documents his health issues and career. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim. He
5494-477: Was digitally altered for clarity. Top Secret! Top Secret! is a 1984 action comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams , David Zucker , and Jerry Zucker ( ZAZ ) and Martyn Burke. It stars Val Kilmer (in his film debut role) and Lucy Gutteridge alongside a supporting cast featuring Omar Sharif , Peter Cushing , Michael Gough , and Jeremy Kemp . The film parodies various film styles such as musicals starring Elvis Presley , spy films of
5576-988: Was filmed mostly on Coppola's estate in Napa County . The filming was expected to take five weeks and was being independently funded by Coppola. In 2010, Kilmer appeared as the villain Dieter Von Cunth in MacGruber and had a small cameo role in the music video for Tenacious D 's "To Be the Best". Kilmer spoke at the May 5, 2010, commencement ceremonies of William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri . During his week-long visit on campus, he also performed his one-man play, Citizen Twain . He received an honorary doctorate "in recognition of his creative abilities and his contributions to art and theater." In 2012, Kilmer received
5658-625: Was growing, harvesting and distributing high-quality cannabis , all under a guise of metaphysical insights. Kilmer was in negotiations with Richard Dutcher (a leading director of Mormon -related films) to play the lead role in a film entitled Prophet: The Story of Joseph Smith , although the project never materialized. Kilmer performed in The Postman Always Rings Twice on the London stage from June to September 2005. In 2005, he co-starred with Robert Downey, Jr. in
5740-431: Was just fill up 90 minutes with jokes, and you have a movie", reflected David Zucker later. "With Top Secret , it's very funny, but it really isn't a good movie. It really didn't have a plot or real characters or real structure." On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , the film has an approval rating of 76% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, " Top Secret! finds
5822-431: Was just fill up 90 minutes with jokes, and you have a movie", reflected David Zucker later. "With Top Secret , it's very funny, but it really isn't a good movie. It really didn't have a plot or real characters or real structure." On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes , the film has an approval rating of 76% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, " Top Secret! finds
5904-607: Was less than enthusiastic with how Morrison was portrayed in Stone's interpretation. In the early 1990s, Kilmer starred in the mystery thriller Thunderheart , the action comedy The Real McCoy , and again teamed with Top Gun director Tony Scott to play Elvis Presley in True Romance , which was written by Quentin Tarantino . In 1993, Kilmer played Doc Holliday in the western Tombstone alongside Kurt Russell . In
5986-1195: Was married to actress Joanne Whalley from March 1988 to February 1996. The two met while working together on the film Willow . They have two children, a daughter, Mercedes (b. 1991), and a son, Jack (b. 1995). Kilmer has a reputation for being difficult to work with and having feuds with some of the actors with whom he has worked, notably The Island of Dr. Moreau co-star Marlon Brando and Red Planet and Heat co-star Tom Sizemore . Kilmer's Tombstone co-star, Michael Biehn , said: "People ask me what it's like to work with Val Kilmer. I don't know. Never met him. Never shook his hand. I know Doc Holliday, but I don't know [Kilmer]." Richard Stanley , who directed Kilmer for three days in The Island of Dr. Moreau before being fired, recalled, "Val would arrive, and an argument would happen." John Frankenheimer , who replaced Stanley said, "I don't like Val Kilmer, I don't like his work ethic, and I don't want to be associated with him ever again." Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher called Kilmer "childish and impossible". When Kilmer's At First Sight co-star Mira Sorvino
6068-408: Was most impressed with Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday . Schumacher felt him to be perfect for the role of Batman , though at the time, the role was still Michael Keaton 's. In July 1994, Keaton decided not to return for a third Batman film after 1992's Batman Returns , due to "creative differences". William Baldwin (who previously worked with Schumacher on Flatliners ) was reported to be
6150-463: Was mostly written at the offices of ZAZ's lawyers. The film's budget was a reported $ 8.5 million, whereas Airplane! was made for $ 3.2 million. Key portions of Top Secret! are parodies of The Conspirators , including the street scene with the novelty vendor. Kilmer was cast after the directors saw him in a play called Slab Boys with Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon . He turned up to the audition dressed like Elvis Presley. "I like to think of it as
6232-463: Was mostly written at the offices of ZAZ's lawyers. The film's budget was a reported $ 8.5 million, whereas Airplane! was made for $ 3.2 million. Key portions of Top Secret! are parodies of The Conspirators , including the street scene with the novelty vendor. Kilmer was cast after the directors saw him in a play called Slab Boys with Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon . He turned up to the audition dressed like Elvis Presley. "I like to think of it as
6314-458: Was named after him on Bowling for Soup 's 2006 album The Great Burrito Extortion Case . The song was later used for a Ford Motors commercial on season 10 of American Idol in 2011. In 2007, he guest-starred on the hit TV series Numb3rs in the episode " Trust Metric ", portraying torture expert Mason Lancer. That same year, he released a CD, proceeds of which went to his charity interests. In 2008, Kilmer starred alongside Stephen Dorff in
6396-537: Was not impressed with the tape, but Paul A. Rothchild (the original producer of the Doors) said "I was shaken by it" and suggested they record Kilmer in the studio. After Kilmer was cast as Morrison, he prepared for the role by attending Doors tribute concerts and reading Morrison's poetry. He spent close to a year before production dressing in Morrison-like clothes, and spent time at Morrison's old hangouts along
6478-516: Was of Swedish descent. His other ancestry includes Irish, German and Cherokee roots . His parents divorced in 1968 when he was 8 years old. His mother later married William Bernard Leach in 1970. Kilmer's grandfather was a gold miner in New Mexico , near the border with Arizona . In 1977, Kilmer's younger brother Wesley, who had epilepsy, drowned in a jacuzzi at age 15. He attended Chatsworth High School with Kevin Spacey . His high school girlfriend
6560-487: Was one of the best-paid actors of the 1990s; films featuring him have grossed over $ 3.5 billion at the worldwide box-office. In 1992, critic Roger Ebert wrote, "if there is an award for the most unsung leading man of his generation, Kilmer should get it". Kilmer was born December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, California, the second of three sons to Gladys Swanette ( née Ekstadt ) and Eugene Dorris Kilmer. His mother
6642-562: Was released as Cinema Twain . In 2013, he reunited with his Top Gun co-star Anthony Edwards in the Disney animated movie Planes . Kilmer voiced the character Bravo, while Edwards supplied Echo. Kilmer also played the role of Detective Dobson in the series finale of the television show Psych . In 2017, Kilmer appeared in Song to Song opposite Rooney Mara and Ryan Gosling and directed by Terrence Malick . Kilmer also appeared in
6724-455: Was to stay under the watchful eye of the UCLA ICU." After previously denying persistent rumors that he had been diagnosed with cancer, Kilmer said in April 2017 that he had experienced a " healing of cancer ". In December 2017, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Kilmer had gone through a "two-year battle with throat cancer " and that "a procedure on his trachea has reduced his voice to
#63936