Tom Cruise Honors Val Kilmer at CinemaCon 2025
At CinemaCon 2025 on Thursday (April 3), Tom Cruise took a heartfelt moment to honor his late friend and former co-star, Val Kilmer, who passed away on April 1 at the age of 65. Kilmer, best known for his iconic role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun, died after battling pneumonia. His daughter shared the news of his passing.
Kilmer’s death has been met with an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and fans alike, reflecting his deep impact on the film industry. At CinemaCon, just before promoting his upcoming film Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise spoke movingly about his dear friend.
“I’d like to take a moment before we get started today to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” Cruise said, according to PEOPLE. “I can’t tell you how much I admired his work and him as a human being, how grateful and honored I was that he joined Top Gun and came back for Top Gun: Maverick.”
He then invited the audience to join him in a moment of silence. “I think it would be really nice if we could just take a moment all together and just think about all the wonderful times that we had with him,” Cruise continued. “He loved movies, and he gave a lot to all of us with his performances in his films.”
After the moment of silence, Cruise added, “Thank you, Val. I wish you well on your next journey.”
Kilmer’s Last Role and Health Struggles
Val Kilmer’s last film appearance was in the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised his role as Iceman, despite the severe effects of his battle with throat cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2014. His health struggles, including losing the ability to speak due to the cancer treatments, made his return to the screen even more poignant for fans.
In a 2023 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Cruise reflected on the emotional experience of reuniting with Kilmer for the sequel. “That was pretty emotional,” Cruise shared. “I’ve known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character… he’s such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again.” Cruise admitted to crying during the reunion, saying, “I was crying, I was crying. He’s such a brilliant actor, I love his work.”
A Lifelong Friendship
Despite initially thinking Top Gun was a “silly” script, Val Kilmer agreed to join the film due to his studio contract, ultimately forming a lifelong bond with Cruise. In a documentary about his life, Kilmer shared that although they played rivals on-screen, he and Cruise had become close friends over the years. “I’ve always thought of Tom as a friend,” Kilmer said. The two exchanged Christmas gifts annually, maintaining their strong friendship even after the filming of Top Gun.
Family Statement
Kilmer’s family released a statement about his death on Thursday. “We are so proud of him and honored to see his legacy celebrated,” the family said. “At this time, we would like to grieve privately.” They requested that fans respect their need for privacy while they mourn the loss of their loved one.
Kilmer is survived by his two adult children, Mercedes (33) and Jack (28).
