VAL Kilmer was a cinema icon who rocketed to fame with his role as Tom Kazansky in Top Gun.
Sadly, the star passed away on April 1, 2025, and was survived by his two children Jack and Mercedes.
Father of two
Val shared his two children with his ex-wife Joanna Whalley.
Joanne is an actress from Salford, Greater Manchester, who met Val on the set of their 1987 film Willow.
Val had rocketed to fame just a year earlier after starring in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun.
The couple split amicably in 1996, just months after their son was born.
After the split, Val went on to date a slew of Hollywood celebrities but said that he loved actress Daryl Hannah the most.
Val’s first daughter
Mercedes was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 29, 1991.
She became an actress and a producer and is known for her roles in Paydirt (2020), Ingrid (2015) and Prettyface (2016).
In the heist movie Paydirt, she appeared alongside Val and even played his daughter in the movie.
Mercedes is an advocate for making Hollywood more inclusive, something inspired by her father’s own health battle.
She said: “Hiring more disabled actors only enlivens the work and inspires more different kinds of communication.”
Val’s son Jack
Jack was born on June 6, 1995, and grew up in Los Angeles, California.
His real name is actually John – a reference to his mother’s name of Joanne.
Val Kilmer’s haunting last Instagram post before tragic death aged 65
Jack followed his parents into showbusiness and landed his first major role in the 2013 film.
He is also known for playing Pelle “Dead” Ohlin in Lords Of Chaos, before starring in The Man in The Wood and Body Brokers.
Jack has described himself as a musician and a model, starring as Ozzy Osbourne himself in the rock legend’s Under the Graveyard music video.
Val’s tragic passing
Val sadly passed away on April 1, 2025, after a long health battle.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2013 and was forced to speak using a voice box, following surgery.
Despite his health struggles, he was able to star in Top Gun once more in the 2022 revival Maverick.
Jack and Mercedes were featured in the 2021 film Val, which followed the actor’s cancer battle.
As Val was unable to speak for the film’s voiceover, Jack played his father in the film.
Val died after complications from pneumonia in Los Angeles, surrounded by his family.
