Val Kilmer Net Worth, Age, Movies, Health, Wife and Children

Val Kilmer is one of the most inventive actors in Hollywood who has worked with some of the biggest directors and actors in the industry.

For his staggering talent as an actor, Kilmer was often cast as a main character in critically acclaimed films. In the 1990s, he was among the highest-paid actors in Hollywood and his movies have grossed over $3.5 billion at the box office worldwide.

Val Kilmer Net Worth

Val Kilmer’s Personal Biography

Val Kilmer was born on December 31, 1959, in Los Angeles, California, to Gladys Swanette and Eugene Dorris Kilmer. His parents divorced when Val was 8 years old and his mother later married. Kilmer’s younger brother had epilepsy and he drowned in a jacuzzi at the age of 15.

In 1988, Kilmer married actress Joanne Whalley whom he met while working on the set of the film Willow. Together the couple has two children, a son and, a daughter. They divorced in 1996. Kilmer has dated many popular singers and actresses including Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie, Cher, Lesley Ann Warren, Ellen Barkin, and Daryl Hannah.

Professional Career

At the start of his career, Kilmer was a theater artist who turned down a movie from renowned director Francis Ford Coppola due to prior commitments. His first on-screen acting role came with an episode of “ABC Afterschool Special” in 1983. However, Kilmer’s big break came when he received a role in the movie “Top Secret!”. His first lead role came with the comedy movie “Real Genius” in 1985 but Val became a star only after he was cast as “Iceman” in the action film “Top Gun” alongside Tom Cruise.

After watching Kilmer’s performance in the movie “Tombstone”, Batman movie director Joel Schumacher got impressed and decided to cast him for the lead role of Batman in his next movie. The movie “Batman Forever” was a success at the box office and Kilmer’s performance received overall praise despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. However, Kilmer decided not to return for another Batman film and the role then went on to George Clooney. In 1997 he starred in the popular action film, “The Saint” and also wrote poetry in the film. The movie was a financial success, grossing $169.4 million worldwide.

In 2004, Kilmer returned to the theater and appeared in the play “The Ten Commandments: The Musical”. His other popular works include “Déjà Vu”, “The Traveler”, “Streets of Blood”, “The Snowman”, and others. In 2020, Val appeared with his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, for the first time in “Paydirt” and also reprised his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky for the Top Gun sequel “Top Gun: Maverick”.

Also check the list of World’s Richest Actors

Val Kilmer’s Must-Watch Movies

1. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
2. Top Gun (1986)
3. Heat (1995)
4. The Prince of Egypt (1998)
5. Tombstone (1993)
6. True Romance (1993)
7. Willow (1988)
8. The Doors (1991)
9. Top Secret! (1984)
10. Batman Forever (1995)
11. Deja Vu (2006)
12. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
13. Kill the Irishman (2011)
14. Felon (2008)
15. Comanche Moon (2008)

Trivia

1. He gave his first auditions for commercials when he was 13 years old.
2. After his throat cancer surgery, Kilmer can no longer eat and must be fed intravenously.
3. He was forced to appear in Top Gun movie because of contractual obligations.
4. Kilmer ranked #62 in Empire (UK) magazine’s list of “The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time”.
5. He loves buffalo and even owns several on his ranch in New Mexico.
6. Val volunteered to work with AmeriCares in 1998 and also visited Iraq to deliver food, medicine, and baby food.
7. He is the second actor to play Batman in the movie franchise after Michael Keaton.
8. He is the only blond actor to have played Batman.
9. Kilmer’s marriage and divorce both happened in February of a leap year: 1988 and 1996.
10. Major films that he turned down include Dirty Dancing (1987), Crimson Tide (1995), In the Line of Fire (1993), and Apollo 13 (1995).

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