Val Kilmer and Cher might seem like an unlikely romantic pair, but for a time in the 1980s, they were one of Hollywood’s most fascinating relationships. Though their love story faded from the spotlight, a long and deep friendship based on love and mutual respect remained.
An Unexpected Love Story: Val Kilmer and Cher
Val Kilmer and Cher met in the early 1980s when he was 23 and she was 36. At the time, Kilmer was still an up-and-coming actor, best known for his roles in Top Secret! and Real Genius.
Meanwhile, Cher was already an established icon, a superstar in both music and film. Despite their 14-year age difference, the two hit it off almost instantly.
Kilmer later described their connection as electric. The actor’s intelligence and humor captivated Cher.
Unlike traditional high-profile Hollywood relationships that made tabloid headlines, Kilmer and Cher kept much of their love story private. They often spent time at Cher’s lavish Malibu estate, avoiding the public eye as much as possible.
Their chemistry was undeniable. Kilmer wrote in his memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, that he and Cher filled their time together with deep conversations, humor, and passion.
“Once Cher works her way inside your head and heart, she never leaves. For her true friends, her steadfast love and loyalty never die,” he shared.
Inside their passionate yet private romance
While their relationship was intensely passionate, significant differences also marked it. People knew Kilmer for his intense, method-actor approach to his craft, while Cher lived life with a more laid-back attitude.
Cher dated and married some of the biggest names in entertainment including Sonny Bono, Gregg Allman, and Gene Simmons. But she referred to Kilmer as one of the great loves of her life.
However, circumstances never allowed their relationship to last. With both stars at different points in their careers and personal journeys, they eventually parted ways amicably.
“I was madly in love with Val Kilmer, and he left,” Cher recalled during a November 2024 interview with Howard Stern. “Sometimes, you’re only meant to stay with someone so long and Val was like, he was really young,” Cher added.
She opened up to People Magazine in 2021 about their relationship. “Our sense of humor, and what we would put up with from one another, was more than I think I’ve ever had with any other guy. [Val]would just go off and do his own thing and you just had to be prepared.”
Cher concluded, “And he was so beautiful. It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other’s ability.”
Kilmer told Good Morning America for a high-profile relationship with an equally famous partner to work you have to be “committed.” He said, “You have to be committed with a woman that’s as dynamic and as committed to their work.”
Cher’s tribute to Val Kilmer after his death
Years after their romance ended, Cher remained one of Kilmer’s most devoted friends, proving that their connection was more than just a fleeting Hollywood fling. When doctors diagnosed Kilmer with throat cancer in the 2010s, Cher was one of the first to step up and support him.
Kilmer wrote about his romance with Cher in his 2020 memoir I’m Your Huckleberry. “I saw Cher as a less-than-fascinating character out of the gossip rags. I was not motivated to meet her, not out of snobbery but simply because I was sure we had nothing in common.”
Kilmer admitted he was staying in Cher’s guesthouse when his throat cancer turned deadly in 2014. The actor wrote, “Suddenly I awoke vomiting blood that covered the bed like a scene out of The Godfather.“
Kilmer wrote that it was Cher who called an ambulance to have the actor transferred to a hospital. He later underwent chemotherapy and radiation at UCLA and was reportedly cancer-free in his later years.
After Kilmer’s death at 65 on Apr. 1, 2025, Cher posted this message on X. “VALUS Will miss u, U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND, kids [heart emoji] U, BRILLIANT as Mark Twain, BRAVE here during ur sickness.”
Though Val Kilmer and Cher’s love story was brief, it was meaningful. While they moved on from their romantic relationship, their lasting friendship was a testament to the strength of their bond.
