Following his passing, Michael Douglas honors Val Kilmer, saying, “His Legacy Will Live On Forever
Following his passing, Michael Douglas honors Val Kilmer, saying, “His Legacy Will Live On Forever.” Hollywood icon Michael Douglas paid a heartfelt homage to his late co-star Val Kilmer on Instagram.
Kilmer died at the age of 65. Douglas posted a heartwarming picture of the two actors on the set of their 1996 adventure movie The Ghost and the Darkness along with the following message: “Val Kilmer, rest in peace. Working with Val on The Ghost and the Darkness almost thirty years ago was a privilege.
Although Val will be sorely missed, his legacy will endure forever thanks to the performances and movies he so eloquently shared with us.
The Ghost and the Darkness, a movie starring Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer, was inspired on the true story of two lions that terrified laborers in Tsavo, Kenya, when they were building a railroad in the late 1800s.
Douglas portrayed Charles Remington, a big-game hunter who was called in to put an end to the slaughter, while Kilmer played Lt. Colonel John Henry Patterson, a resolute bridge engineer. Both actors’ flexibility and dedication to creating captivating, life-sized characters were on display in the movie.
The film business held Val Kilmer in high regard due to his skill, passion, and charisma. After playing “Iceman” opposite Tom Cruise in Top Gun, he went on to give standout performances as Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever, Doc Holliday in Tombstone, and Jim Morrison in The Doors. Kilmer, who was well-known for his ability to blend in with his parts, had a lasting impression on both Hollywood and his admirers.
Mercedes Kilmer, Kikmer’s daughter, confirmed his death, saying that on April 1, 2025, he died of pneumonia-related complications. In 2014, he was initially diagnosed with throat cancer, which he had long fought. In later years, a tracheotomy hampered his ability to speak, but his love of telling stories never diminished.
The 2021 documentary Val provided viewers with an intimate glimpse into the man behind the classic performances by truthfully portraying his life and struggle with disease.
The great regard and appreciation that many in the business had for Kilmer, both as a performer and as a person, is reflected in Michael Douglas’ tribute. In The Ghost and the Darkness, the two forged a famous on-screen friendship, and fans are reminded of Kilmer’s lasting legacy by Douglas’ touching statement.
Kilmer’s son Jack and daughter Mercedes survive him. The parts he played and the feelings he evoked endure in every frame of the movies he appeared in, even though he is no longer with us.