Throughout his four-decade career in Hollywood, Val Kilmer starred in a number of beloved films – from action thriller (Top Gun) to fantasy adventures (Willow) to screwball comedies (Top Secret!).
But Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on 1 April at the age of 65, also turned down a role that may have defined his career – a lead part in the 1986 noir Blue Velvet, directed by David Lynch.
Blue Velvet follows a young man named Jeffrey, whose discovery of a severed human ear leads him down a disturbing path of crime, voyeurism, sadism, and sexual violence.
In the final film, the role was played by Kyle MacLachlan: it proved a defining role for the actor, who went on to work with Lynch again on Twin Peaks.
Kilmer turned down the project due to the explicit subject matter involved, and is said to have described the script as “pornography”.
However, he later opened up about his regret at the decision, telling Attitude: “Blue Velvet is a wonderful film. I had a crazy, crazy crush on [Isabella Rosselini, the film’s female lead], so I would have done it for free.
“I was very naive when I was younger. I said ‘no’ to a ton of really wonderful directors and looking back now, I can't remember the reasons why.”
He also alluded to turning down Robert Altman, the acclaimed director behind Nashville and Gosford Park.
"I said no to (Robert) Altman twice, and David Lynch, although David Lynch I remember, because the second film I turned down was Blue Velvet, because it was really graphic and I was just too shy back then,” he explained.
Fortunately, things worked out for Kilmer, who starred in Top Gun the same year Blue Velvet was released. He played fighter pilot “Iceman” opposite Tom Cruise, a role he briefly reprised in the 2021 legacy sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
In 2014, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer, from which he recovered. The actor and his health issues were at the centre of the 2021 documentary Val, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to rave reviews.
You can follow the latest news following Kilmer’s death here.
Lynch died earlier this year, at the age of 78. He is remembered as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.
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