The versatile Hollywood actor known for portraying Batman and rocker Jim Morrison died Tuesday from pneumonia, his daughter told the New York Times.
Val Kilmer, the versatile Hollywood actor known for his roles as Batman and rock icon Jim Morrison, passed away on Tuesday in Los Angeles due to pneumonia, according to confirmation from his daughter to the New York Times. He was 65.
Kilmer had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but he had recovered from that illness, his daughter said.
Kilmer gained fame in the 1980s and enjoyed a successful acting career that spanned over four decades. His big-screen debut came in the 1984 comedy “Top Secret!” where he portrayed an American singer caught up in East German espionage. He starred as Tom Cruise’s adversary in the 1986 movie “Top Gun.”
He achieved critical acclaim for his portrayal of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s film “The Doors” in 1991 and later assumed the iconic role of Batman in the 1995 movie “Batman Forever,” succeeding Michael Keaton in the franchise.
Throughout his career, Kilmer held diverse roles, such as an FBI agent in “Thunderheart” and the title character in “The Saint.” He also appeared as Elvis in a memorable cameo in the Quentin Tarantino-scripted “True Romance.”
