A week after Val Kilmer’s passing at age 65, his official cause of death has been confirmed.
According to TMZ, which obtained the actor’s death certificate from the Los Angeles County Department of Health, the Top Gun star died from pneumonia, with several underlying health conditions contributing to his death.
Kilmer’s daughter had previously revealed he was battling pneumonia in the days leading up to his death.
The certificate lists other serious complications, including acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (a condition where the lungs can’t get enough oxygen into the blood), chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue—the cancer he was diagnosed with in 2014.
Additional contributing factors were noted as malnutrition and a tracheocutaneous fistula—a medical condition in which a hole in the neck connects the windpipe to the skin’s surface.
The Batman Forever and The Doors actor was cremated on April 7.
Kilmer faced years of health struggles after his throat cancer diagnosis.
A tracheotomy, performed as part of his treatment, caused him to lose his voice. For his emotional return as Iceman in Top Gun: Maverick, AI technology was used to recreate his speech, allowing fans to hear him on screen one final time.
Last week, his children addressed their father’s death in a statement shared with People.
His daughter Mercedes and son Jack paid tribute to their “extraordinary” father and thanked fans for the outpouring of love following his passing.
“We are so proud of him and honoured to see his legacy celebrated,” they said. “At this time, we would like to grieve privately.”
Kilmer, who shared both children with his ex-wife, actress Joanne Whalley, died last Tuesday after years of health struggles following his diagnosis with throat cancer in 2014.
The Hollywood star discussed his diagnosis and recovery in his 2020 memoir I’m Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.
Kilmer was also known for playing Batman in 1995’s Batman Forever and starred in a number of westerns including 1989 film Billy The Kid and 1992’s Thunderheart.
The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.
And in the wake of his death, his Top Gun co-star Tom Cruise paid tribute to Kilmer, honouring his “dear friend” and wishing him “well on the next journey”.
Speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas, Cruise asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star.
Kilmer rose to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 hit Top Gun, playing Iceman, a rival pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick, and his final acting role was a cameo in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Variety reported that Cruise spoke from a stage at Caesars Palace and said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
