By Efe Ozkan
ISTANBUL (AA) - Val Kilmer, known for his roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever, and The Doors, died on Tuesday.
The 65-year-old had been treated for throat cancer after being diagnosed in 2014. but recovered in 2021, while the disease left him largely voiceless.
According to the actor’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, he died of pneumonia.
The actor gained fame in the 1980s as a Juilliard-trained prodigy, showcasing leading-man potential comparable to his Top Gun co-star, Tom Cruise. At the height of his career, he dated Cher and Cindy Crawford, made $6 million per film, and developed a reputation for being notoriously difficult to work with.
Kilmer was born on Dec. 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Chatsworth, Los Angeles alongside his two brothers where he went to high school with Kevin Spacey, and later attended Julliard School's drama division.