Top Gun and Batman star Val Kilmer died earlier this month aged 65 as his family issued an emotional tribute to the Hollywood icon while his cause of death has been confirmed
3am Mia O'Hare Showbiz Reporter 23:48, 10 Apr 2025Updated 00:01, 11 Apr 2025
Val Kilmer's cause of death has been confirmed, nine days after the Hollywood star died aged 65. The Top Gun icon's daughter shared the sad news of his death earlier this month.
He shot to fame alongside Tom Cruise in the 1986 movie Top Gun in the role of Iceman, who was a rival to Tom's character Maverick. The star went on to land the role of Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and picked up critical acclaim for his portrayal of musician Jim Morrison in the 1991 film The Doors.
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Val returned to Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, which has now become his final acting credit. However, away from the big screen, Val battled health issues and was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.
He underwent both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, as well as a tracheostomy, which damaged his vocal cords and left him learning to speak again. Heartbreakingly, Val had to make the choice to breathe or to eat due to needing to have meals through a feeding tube.
His daughter Mercedes confirmed the sad news on April 1 and revealed he died from pneumonia. Now, new details have been added to his death certificate obtained by TMZ.
It heartbreakingly detailed underlying causes of "acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue."
According to the NHS, Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is a type of skin cancer that usually starts in the skin where the cells multiply and alter the skin’s appearance. They are typically slow-growing forms of skin cancer and usually remain in the outer layer of the skin.
Val revealed he had been cancer free for four years in 2020. Other contributing factors of his death include malnutrition and a tracheocutaneous fistula. It is an abnormal complication between the trachea and the skin, often occurring after a tracheostomy tube is removed.
Following his death, Val's heartbroken family issued an emotional statement to People. His two kids, Mercedes and Jack, thanked those who honoured their 'extraordinary father's memory'.
They said: "We are so proud of him and honoured to see his legacy celebrated. At this time, we would like to grieve privately." His daughter Mercedes previously told The New York Times he died of pneumonia on April 1 at a Los Angeles Hospital.
Val's Top Gun co-star, Tom Cruise, also paid tribute to the late star. The Mission Impossible icon took to the stage at the Colosseum at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas for CinemaCon to honour his friend.
He said per Variety: "I'd like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can't tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
"I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him. I wish you well on the next journey."
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The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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