Legendary actor Val Kilmer has passed away at the age of 65. Credit: Rob Loud/Getty Images

Kilmer, the acclaimed actor known for iconic roles in Top Gun, The Doors, and Batman Forever, has sadly died at the age of 65.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes confirmed the heartbreaking news to The New York Times, revealing that he passed away on April 1, with pneumonia listed as the cause of death.

The news has devastated fans around the world, many of whom turned to social media to celebrate the actor’s legacy and express their grief.

Kilmer’s final on-screen appearance came in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, a character that catapulted him to stardom in the original 1986 film.

Although he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and underwent radiation, chemotherapy, and a tracheostomy that permanently damaged his vocal cords, Kilmer’s real-life health battle was seamlessly integrated into the sequel’s script.

Thanks to AI technology, his dialogue in Top Gun: Maverick was brought to life despite the severe damage to his voice.

Cher – who met Kilmer in the early 1980s at a birthday party and later dated him – shared an emotional tribute on X following his passing.

She wrote: “VALUS. Will miss u, U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND, kids [heart emoji] U. BRILLIANT as Mark Twain. BRAVE here during ur sickness.”

Though the couple broke up before Kilmer’s cancer diagnosis, Cher reportedly supported him throughout his treatment. Last year, she opened up about their relationship on The Howard Stern Show, saying she was “madly in love” with the actor.

“Sometimes you only stay, sometimes, you’re only meant to stay with someone so long and Val was like, he was really young,” she explained when asked why some of her relationships didn’t last.

She had previously spoken about the then-controversial 14-year age gap between her and Kilmer in an interview with PEOPLE, saying: “We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly. He would sleep over and it was just a friendship [at first.]”

She added: “The truth was if I hadn’t gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date. Younger men weren’t intimidated by older women.

“And he was so beautiful. It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other’s ability.”

Cher and Kilmer dated in the 1980s. Credit: William Nation / Getty

Kilmer was born in Los Angeles in 1959 and made history as one of the youngest students ever admitted to Juilliard’s acting program.

He began his career on stage before bursting into the mainstream with cult hits like Top Secret! and Real Genius. His performance as Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991) was widely acclaimed, and his turn as Doc Holliday in Tombstone (1993) remains iconic.

In 1995, he donned the cape and cowl in Batman Forever, which was a commercial hit despite divided reviews. That same year, he starred alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat – cementing his status as a Hollywood heavyweight.

Later roles included Willow (where he met ex-wife Joanne Whalley, with whom he had children Mercedes and Jack), The Island of Dr. Moreau, and smaller indie films and stage projects like his one-man show as Mark Twain.