David Thewlis has recalled the “spectacularly bleak and awful” five months he spent with the ‘extraordinary” Val Kilmer, who has died aged 65.
The Harry Potter star, whose credits include Mike Leigh’s Naked and the Fargo TV series, paid tribute to Kilmer, whose death from pneumonia was announced on Wednesday (2 April).
Thewlis starred alongside Kilmer and Marlon Brando in the 1996 HG Wells adaptation of The Island of Dr Moreau, whose production was famously troubled.
Director John Frankenheimer was brought on board a week into filming after the original director was let go and Brando refused to come to set on multiple occasions, leaving the crew in limbo.
It’s been reported that Kilmer spent his time on set bullying cast and crew, later attributing his behaviour to being served divorce papers by his ex Joanne Whalley, with whom he had two children.
Frankenheimer reportedly said: “There are two things I will never ever do in my whole life. The first is that I will never climb Mount Everest. The second is that I will never work with Val Kilmer ever again.”
Thewlis addressed his time working on the film in his tribute, writing: “I spent the most bizarre five months of my entire life with Val Kilmer, out in the Australian rainforest, on the ill fated Island of Dr Moreau.”
He continued: “It was so spectacularly bleak and awful it was almost wonderful. Look it up sometime.”
The actor suggested he remained in touch with Kilmer long after the film was released, with the Top Gun and Batman Forever star writing in his “final mail” to Thewlis: “What an incredible story we lived, you and I. One of the greatest.”
In an odd twist of fate, Kilmer’s death occurred while Thewilis was back Down Under.
“Bittersweet to be back here in Australia and hear the heartbreaking news. He was one of the most extraordinary people I have ever met. Proud to have called him a friend and co-conspirator.”
Kilmer’s death comes after several health struggles, which were documented in the 2021 film Val. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015 and lost his voice after undergoing a tracheotomy.
The actor initially kept the diagnosis private, but came forward with his story to spread awareness of the disease.
News of his death from pneumonia was announced by daughter, Mercedes.
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