Tom Cruise honored his "esteemed colleague" Val Kilmer, who starred alongside Tom Cruise in Top Gun, , who passed away at 65.
The emotional statement was made by Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes, who told the New York Times that her father passed away due to pneumonia.
At a poignant address during CinemaCon in Las Vegas, presented at the Colosseum at Caesar's Palace, Cruise conveyed his profound admiration for Kilmer, as noted by Variety. He said, "It’s important to acknowledge my close comrade, Val Kilmer."
- Val Kilmer’s dramatic tale regarding Angelina Jolie that split public opinion
- The final Instagram post from Val Kilmer was shared just weeks prior to his untimely passing.
He went on, thinking about their common memories: "Words fail me when describing my respect for his work; I felt incredibly thankful and privileged when he became part of Top Gun and then returned for Top Gun: Maverick."
Cruise additionally encouraged participants to join in a reflective pause: “It would be truly lovely for us to take a moment collectively since he was passionate about cinema and bestowed so much upon each one of us. Let’s reminisce about all the fantastic moments we shared with him. May your new voyage bring you success.”
At the event, Cruise honored Kilmer with a touching moment of silence.
Following Kilmer’s death, his family released an emotional statement via his children, Mercedes and Jack: “We are immensely proud of him and deeply honored by the celebration of his legacy. Currently, we wish to mourn privately.”
Fellow actor Josh Brolin also shared his condolences online, posting yesterday: "See ya, pal. I'm going to miss you.
DON'T MISS...
Gwyneth Paltrow’s celebrity offspring faces the future following the 'mean girl' controversy [LATEST NEWS]
Pedro Pascal criticized for supporting Rachel Zegler amid Snow White dispute [COMMENT]
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore's daughter, who is 36 years old, confesses that she still takes baths with her sisters [UPDATED]
You were an intelligent, demanding, courageous, super-creative sparkplug. Such qualities aren’t common these days. I look forward to joining you among the stars someday. For now, let’s hold onto wonderful recollections and pleasant reflections.
Actor Josh Gad conveyed his grief stating, "Val Kilmer, thank you for being such a significant part of the movies from my youth. You were indeed an iconic figure." In tribute, the official Top Gun account honored Val—who played Iceman—saying, "We remember Val Kilmer, whose remarkable presence in cinema touched various genres and eras. Farewell, Iceman."
Val, widely recognized for his portrayal of the endearing Iceman in Top Gun, died on April 1 at a Los Angeles hospital. He had been fighting throat cancer for a decade until overcoming it in 2016.
Yesterday, it came to light that Val had been confined to his bed for numerous years before passing away.
Following multiple sessions of chemotherapy and successfully overcoming cancer, Val’s body was pushed beyond its limits, as reported by someone near his family to TMZ. According to this person, the actor passed away due to “fatigue associated with his cancer therapy.”
They went on to say that although he was free of cancer, his body "was unable to continue the fight and eventually shut down."
They further mentioned that the star was "extremely weak" and that his health "deteriorated rapidly over the last week." Val was quickly taken to the hospital where he was supported by loved ones until his body succumbed.
Receive the most recent updates on news, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle from our committed U.S.-based team.
Subscribe to our newsletters HERE .