What happened to Val Kilmer, one of the biggest movie stars from the late '80s and early '90s? In 2020, the American actor has made headlines for a character reprisal in Top Gun: Maverick, and he's even the subject of a recent profile feature in The New York Times. So, why is Kilmer no longer appearing in big Hollywood films year after year?
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Kilmer attended the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City during the early '80s. Five years later, he rose to fame as the wonderfully cocky Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in Tony Scott's 1986 aviation classic Top Gun. But unlike many stars riding the momentum train, Kilmer didn't commit to two or three films per year, but was rather more selective. He starred as Madmartigan in the 1988 box office hit Willow, only to then star in the forgettable neo-noir thriller Kill Me Again. As the '80s closed out, Kilmer was indeed popular, but not quite a huge star like Michael J. Fox or even Tom Cruise; that would soon change.
Kilmer made a major leap forward with his collective filmography during the first half of the '90s. By portraying the iconic Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's controversial musical drama The Doors, he once again become a big deal in Hollywood and had quite the platform to flex his acting chops. With the western Tombstone, Kilmer connected with an older demographic as gunslinger Doc Holliday, and then solidified a larger mainstream fanbase with roles in True Romance and Batman Forever. Upon appearing in Michael Mann's 1995 crime epic Heat, Kilmer's big screen legacy was firmly established. Moving forward, though, he was never able to re-capture all that mid-90s mainstream mojo.
Kilmer slipped from the spotlight not because he didn't have the necessary talent, but rather because he picked more challenging roles. After portraying Batman (and reportedly not being too thrilled with the experience), Kilmer utilized his Hollywood star appeal for smaller productions and unique characters that appealed to his artistic tastes. For about a decade after Heat, he was unquestionably one of cinema's most intriguing actors, evidenced by portrayals of real-life figures such as Willem de Kooning (Pollock) and John Holmes (Wonderland) - an abstract artist and adult film star, respectively.
Kilmer landed another big hit with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005 but, at 45 years old, life had changed for a variety of reasons, including a divorce from actress Joanne Whalley, raising children, and questionable on-set behavior, resulting in a movie career that was more about being a high-quality working actor rather than holding out for big checks.
In 2020, younger moviegoers may be more familiar with Jack Kilmer (Palo Alto, The Nice Guys, Lords of Chaos) than his more accomplished father. Still, the elder Kilmer's involvement in Top Gun: Maverick has sparked new interest in the original Iceman. Specifically, there's been speculation about how Kilmer will be incorporated into the sequel's storyline, as he no longer speaks the same due to throat cancer and a tracheostomy. In May 2020, The New York Times published a feature about Kilmer's fascinating career, with the actor reflecting about being "miserable" during his Batman days and gaining a new perspective after truly experiencing the Hollywood machine. Now 60 years old, Val Kilmer is far from retired, as he's set to produce Mark Twain and Mary Baker Eddy, and has reportedly already completed filming for five movies in 2020 alone.
