Val Kilmer, the silver screen's most unique Batman, dies

Val Kilmer's version of Batman in Batman: Forever - Photo: Warner Bros

According to daughter Mercedes Kilmer, Batman actor Val Kilmer passed away from pneumonia, having previously battled nasopharyngeal cancer since 2014.

Throughout his career spanning more than four decades, Val Kilmer has always been known as a versatile actor, capable of transforming diversely in each role. He has participated in a series of famous films such as Top Gun (1986), Heat (1995), The Saint (1997) or The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)...

From rock icon to Batman

Born in 1959 in Los Angeles, Val Edward Kilmer showed early artistic talent and became one of the youngest students ever accepted into the prestigious Juilliard theater school program.

He began his career on Broadway before breaking into Hollywood with a starring role in the comedy Top Secret! (1984), where he played a rock singer caught up in a spy plot.

Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison - leader of The Doors - this is also one of his most memorable roles - Photo: IMDb

However, it wasn't until 1991 that Kilmer truly established his talent when he played Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors .

Not only recreating the appearance, Kilmer also perfectly portrayed Morrison's voice and demeanor, to the point that many audiences believed he was really the legendary band leader.

Director Oliver Stone once commented: "Kilmer doesn't just play Morrison, he seems to be haunted by Morrison's spirit."

This role brought Kilmer critical acclaim and made him one of Hollywood's brightest stars at the time.

Four years later, Kilmer took on the mantle of Batman in Batman Forever (1995), replacing Michael Keaton. The film was a box office success but not critically acclaimed. Kilmer himself admitted that he was not comfortable with the role and declined to return for a sequel.

Although the film was not highly rated, fans still have special affection for Val Kilmer's role as Batman/Bruce Wayne and affirm that he could have become the best version of Batman if given more opportunities - Photo: ScreenRant

Although he didn't stick with the superhero image for long, Val Kilmer still had a series of memorable roles. He played Iceman, Tom Cruise's rival in Top Gun (1986), contributing to one of the iconic films of the 1980s.

Additionally, the actor also made a strong impression with his role in Heat (1995), where he co-starred with two legends Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in a tense crime story.

Not only stopping at action blockbusters, Kilmer also tried his hand at more artistic films.

Trailer for Heat, one of Val Kilmer's most memorable films

He played Willem de Kooning in Pollock (2000) or Philip in Oliver Stone's epic Alexander (2004).

Despite his immense talent, Kilmer was unpredictable and sometimes controversial in the film industry. An Entertainment Weekly article in 1996 called him "The Man Hollywood Hated Most." Many directors and co-stars have said that Kilmer could be difficult to work with because of his perfectionism and strong personality.

However, those who have worked with him for a long time recognize Kilmer as an actor of incredible depth and dedication. David Mamet, director of Spartan (2004), once commented: "He has the ability to make every line sound as if it was improvised on the spot."

Goodbye silver screen

In the later years of his career, Kilmer gradually stepped away from the Hollywood lights to focus on his family and pursue personal passions.

He is particularly fond of the writer Mark Twain and spent years researching to write the monologue play Citizen Twain , which began performing in 2010.

Val Kilmer's last appearance on the silver screen was in Top Gun Maverick (2022), where he reunited with co-star Tom Cruise as Iceman - Photo: IMDb

Although he no longer appears in blockbusters, Kilmer still participates in a number of artistic projects such as Wonderland (2003), Twixt (2011) by Francis Ford Coppola or voices the animated versions of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn (2014).

He considered running for governor of New Mexico, where he lived for many years on a large ranch, but ultimately chose to live a reclusive life, away from the Hollywood spotlight.

Val Kilmer once said: "I have no regrets. Once you're a star, you're always a star. It's just a matter of how big you are."

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/val-kilmer-batman-doc-dao-nhat-man-bac-qua-doi-20250402130944153.htm