Actor Val Kilmer, one of the foremost Hollywood stars of his generation, has died at the age of 65. He had been battling throat cancer for several years, and was last seen in the blockbuster film Top Gun: Maverick.
His illness was written into the film’s plot, which involved the death of his character, Iceman. The New York Times confirmed his death on Wednesday. Kilmer rose to fame after playing Iceman in the original Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise; he went on to star as Bruce Wayne/Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever, which was a box office hit.
But this would be his only appearance as the superhero; the role was taken over by George Clooney in the follow-up Batman & Robin. Kilmer also voiced Moses in the hit animated film The Prince of Egypt, and played the Doc Holliday in the Western classic Tombstone. He played the iconic rock-star Jim Morrison in the film The Doors, which remains one of his most popular performances.