Off The Record
Val Kilmer’s Friend Shares Emotional Tribute That Leaves Fans Heartbroken After His Death
Fans are devastated and looking for answers after Josh Brolin’s touching tweet to Val Kilmer went viral online.
Following an emotional online reaction to Hollywood actor Josh Brolin’s tribute, fans are lamenting the passing of Val Kilmer.
Social media was filled with condolence messages after Val’s death was reported. Josh, a longtime friend and fellow actor, was one of the first to speak out. The Goonies star posted a picture of himself with Val on Instagram shortly “The Goonies” star posted a picture of himself with Val on Instagram shortly after the news was released.
“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you,” he wrote, calling Val a “smart, challenging, brave” and “uber-creative firecracker.” The post quickly drew a wave of reactions from fans. Many expressed heartbreak in the comments.
“Oh my goodness. 😭,” one person wrote. “I’m so heartbroken,” said another. A third simply posted, “oh no 💔.” Someone else commented, “Oh man.” Others, still shocked, asked for answers. “What killed him??” one comment read. As tributes continue, Josh’s message has become a focal point for fans honoring Val’s life and legacy.
Val, who played Batman and Jim Morrison, died in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 1, at the age of 65.
Mercedes Kilmer, his daughter, claims that pneumonia was the reason of his passing. Val had previously fought throat cancer, which was discovered in 2014, but he healed, she said. On December 31, 1959, Val was born in Los Angeles. He was raised in the Chatsworth area, which is located in the extreme northwest portion of the city.
In the 1990s, Val became a well-known actor with a repertoire that went beyond blockbuster parts. His role as the caped crusader in “Batman Forever” (1995) is one of his most famous roles.
He battles the antagonists Two-Face (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (played by Jim Carrey) in the movie. Despite the movie’s financial success, not everyone agreed that Val’s performance or the picture itself were the pinnacles of the Batman canon.
The years that followed saw a significant change in his off-screen life. Val sat next to his two daughters, Mercedes and Jack, who were both born during his marriage to British actress Joanne Whalley, in a rare interview conducted in 2017 in his Brentwood art studio.
He was fighting a hard battle with throat cancer at the time. His breathing was laborious, and his voice had a rough rasp from a tracheotomy. A personal crisis made the struggle even more challenging.
Around the time of his diagnosis, Mercedes was struck by a car in a serious accident. “We were in the same hospital at the same time,” she later recalled. Jack, watching both his sister and father endure medical recoveries, remembered the moment vividly. “I was just, you know, miserable, distraught, sitting next to these two.”
Val relied on his faith in spite of the difficulties. He received chemotherapy in his fight against the disease, but as a Christian Scientist, he found spiritual footing in his affliction. His bond with his kids grew stronger during it all.
Val quietly but resolutely returned to the screen in 2020. He played a sheriff in the independent action movie “Paydirt,” which was a reflection of his actual situation. He had a speech impairment, and so did his persona.
“It’s pretty historic to have a lead with a speech disability,” Mercedes, who co-starred in the film, told People at the time. She called the experience a revelation, both professionally and personally.
“My dad’s able to very artfully circumvent the limitations of his speech,” she stated. Mercedes clarified that she had learned a lot about acting and broadened her perspective on what acting could be by observing his bodily communication.
Val, never one to shy away from change, took the shift in stride. “The business changes every six months,” he joked. “The Batmobile has become much smarter since then.”
The project became more than a film, it became a symbol of resilience. “The health challenges have been just that, challenging,” Mercedes said, “but so many good things have come out of it.” Val echoed the sentiment. “They really have done everything to make my health as usual,” he said.
In another joint interview with Mercedes, when Val was asked how he was doing, he replied in a coarse and strenuous voice, “I’m doing great, I feel a lot better than I sound.”
His creative spirit persisted till the very end, notwithstanding the change in his voice.
His final public moments reflected the artist he had always been. On March 23, Val posted an image of his latest artwork, a glowing visual piece accompanied by the caption, “It’s got that late-night glow. Cool tones with a low burn, like when the camp fire cools down but you’re still wide awake.”
Val used social media in June 2019 to consider his life’s work as an artist. He posted a number of images along with a statement expressing his conviction that art has the ability to inspire and educate.
For him, being an actor was always about discovering the truth in each character and telling people about it. He talked about using that same enthusiasm to his work with the TwainMania Foundation, a program that uses education to advance tolerance, empathy, and literacy.
Val had been working with others to create a curriculum that was based on those principles. He anticipated the initiative would gain traction in Los Angeles and eventually spread across the country.
Additionally, the post was an expression of gratitude to friends and supporters who had supported him and the cause. He emphasized the power of education to create a more humane future and urged people to join the cause.
Val had a varied filmography during the course of his career that demonstrated his versatility and charm. Early on, he frequently got rock-star-edge roles due to his strong personality and stunning appearance. One such role was his debut in “Top Secret!” (1984), in which he played a singing American enmeshed in Cold War pandemonium.
One of Val’s most notable performances was in “The Doors” (1991), where he hypnotically inhabited the role of Jim Morrison. His small but noteworthy performance in “True Romance” (1993) came just two years later.
He played prominent parts in movies such as “The Saint” (1997), in which he portrayed a master of disguise caught up with the Russian mob, and “Thunderheart” (1992), in which he played a young FBI agent on a Native American reservation.
Val was praised for his performance in “Tombstone” (1993), which also starred Kurt Russell and Sam Elliott. In the criminal thriller “Heat” (1995), he costarred with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino as a part of a high-stakes heist squad.
“Pollock” (2000) and “The Ghost and the Darkness” (1996) were two other noteworthy appearances. Val played Philip of Macedon, the father of the future conqueror, in Oliver Stone’s “Alexander” (2004).
Val gained not only recognition for his parts but also for his ability to blend in with them; he was erratic, dedicated, and consistently captivating. His career was distinguished by his daring decisions and multi-layered performances.
Despite personal struggles, his commitment to his profession made a lasting impression on the picture. He left a legacy of daring artistic expression and remarkable live performances.
We send our sympathies to his family. Peace be with you, Kilmer, Val.
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