Cher delivers heartfelt homage to former flame Val Kilmer following confirmation of his death. Kilmer's daughter Mercedes informed the New York Times and verified her father had passed away at 65 on April 1. Subsequently, admirers of the actor, renowned for his portrayal of Batman and Iceman in the Top Gun series, have used social media to express their condolences. Kilmer's final acting appearance was a brief role in 2022's Top Gun: Maverick with his actual health struggles incorporated into the storyline. He received a throat cancer diagnosis in 2014 and underwent radiation treatment and chemotherapy, plus a tracheostomy, which harmed his vocal cords. This resulted in Kilmer barely speaking in the movie, with AI technology used to generate his lines due to permanent voice damage.
Cher Breaks Silence Following the Death of Her Ex-Boyfriend ... (Source: news.amomama.com)
Despite their romantic relationship ending before his diagnosis, Cher allegedly backed Kilmer throughout his medical care. They encountered each other at a birthday celebration in the early 1980s and fell in love, dating from 1982 to 1984. Cher recently posted on Twitter to honor the actor after news of his death broke.
She posted: "VALUS "Will miss u, U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the a**, GREAT FRIEND, kids [heart] U. "BRILLIANT as Mark Twain. "BRAVE here during ur sickness."
Val Kilmer's heartbroken family break silence on actor's ... (Source: www.themirror.com)
Last year, Cher spoke openly about her connection with Kilmer and admitted she was 'madly in love' with the actor. During a November Howard Stern Show appearance, when asked about previous partners and why they would leave her, Cher responded: "Sometimes you only stay, sometimes, you're only meant to stay with someone so long and Val was like, he was really young."
In earlier discussions, she has talked about the 13-year age difference between herself and the younger Kilmer. In 2021, Cher told People: "We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly. He would sleep over and it was just a friendship [at first]."
"The truth was if I hadn't gone out with younger men, I would have never had a date. Younger men weren't intimidated by older women."
Cher breaks silence on ex-boyfriend Val Kilmer's death aged ... (Source: www.unilad.com)
She also maintained they had an amazing and special dynamic even though their romance didn't succeed. Cher added: "And he was so beautiful. It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other's ability."
The New York Times that her father died from pneumonia on April 1. The star gained celebrity status appearing with Tom Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun. Kilmer later portrayed Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever_and earned praise for his performance as musician Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors. His last acting appearance was a brief role in the 2022 sequel, where AI helped deliver his lines due to voice damage from a 2014 tracheotomy performed to treat throat cancer.
Batman and Top Gun star Val Kilmer dies aged 65 - News - UNILAD (Source: www.unilad.com)
"That was quite emotional," Top Gun_ star Tom Cruise told Jimmy Kimmel in 2023 about the scene. "I've known Val for many years, and when he returned to play that character... he's such a strong actor that he became that character again instantly."
Kilmer received a throat cancer diagnosis in 2014, sharing his health journey in his 2020 autobiography, I'm Your Huckleberry, and Amazon Prime documentary Val. He underwent radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and a tracheostomy that harmed his vocal cords.
"I sound much worse than I feel," Kilmer explained in the documentary. "I cannot speak without closing this hole (in his throat). You must choose between breathing or eating. It's a challenge that is very apparent to anyone who sees me."
Actor Josh Brolin shared: "You were a clever, difficult, courageous, extremely creative firecracker. Few like you remain. I hope to join you in heaven when my time comes. Until then, wonderful memories, fond thoughts."
Val Kilmer, 'Top Gun' and 'Batman Forever' star, dead at 65 ... (Source: www.wwbl.com)
Heartwarming way Val Kilmer ended up starring in Top Gun sequel despite having no voice
Heartwarming way Val Kilmer ended up starring in Top Gun ... (Source: www.unilad.com)
The Top Gun sequel reportedly would not have proceeded without Val Kilmer's participation. Released in 2022, Top Gun: Maverick earned widespread praise despite arriving almost 40 years after the original 1986 classic. It became one of the top-earning films of that year. Tom Cruise returned as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, while Kilmer, who passed away at age 65 yesterday (April 1), also wanted to join the production.
Kilmer gained fame in the first film portraying Maverick's rival Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky - a role that established his Hollywood career. He was eager to reprise his Iceman character in the new installment. Yet, his voice impairment could have presented an obstacle.
Kilmer's vocal abilities were compromised following a tracheostomy, which was necessary due to his throat cancer diagnosis in 2014. Nevertheless, both Kilmer and Cruise were determined not to let this prevent his return as Iceman.
Heartwarming way Val Kilmer ended up starring in Top Gun ... (Source: www.unilad.com)
In his memoir, Kilmer wrote: "Tom was Maverick, but Maverick's nemesis was Iceman. The two went together like salt and pepper. It didn't matter that the producers didn't contact me. As The Temptations sang in the heyday of Motown soul, 'Ain't too proud to beg.'"
As it turned out, production did not need to reach out to him because Cruise had already taken action.
Heartwarming way Val Kilmer ended up starring in Top Gun ... (Source: www.unilad.com)
Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced Top Gun: Maverick with Cruise, stated: "[Cruise] said, 'We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film,'" Bruckheimer told People in 2021. "He was the driving force. We all wanted him, but Tom was really adamant that if he's going to make another Top Gun, Val had to be in it."
Bruckheimer also commented about Kilmer: "He's such a fine actor, and he's such a good individual. We had such a good time on the first one and wanted to bring some of the gang back together again."
Cutting-edge technology assisted Kilmer's return as Iceman. A UK-based AI company called Sonantic utilized recordings from his acting career to reconstruct his voice and create various voice models for him.
"I'm grateful to the entire team at Sonantic who masterfully restored my voice in a way I've never imagined possible," Kilmer expressed after they developed several different voices for him.
He added: "As human beings, the capacity to talk is fundamental to our lives and the impact of throat cancer has made it hard for people to comprehend me."
Gene Hackman and pianist wife Betsy Arakawa found dead at home with their dog
Award-winning actor Gene Hackman has passed away at 95 years of age. County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told the Santa Fe New Mexican that authorities discovered Hackman and his spouse, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, lifeless on Wednesday afternoon in their residence located in the Santa Fe Summit area northeast of the city.
The police statement read: "We can verify that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead Wednesday." The Press Association verified an "ongoing investigation" into the deaths is taking place. Sheriff Mendoza noted no apparent signs suggested foul play. He neither revealed a death cause nor indicated when the pair might have died.
Hackman had made his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, since the 1980s and tied the knot with Arakawa, 63, in 1991, following their meeting at her workplace, a local gym. Few details exist about Arakawa's subsequent musical career, though Hackman in 2014 commended her "steady, detailed read-throughs" of the western novels he authored later in life.
Gene Hackman's Life in Photos (Source: people.com)
Law enforcement officers reached the couple's residence in a secured community named Old Sunset Trail on Wednesday afternoon to examine the deaths of two senior citizens and a dog. Whether deputies responded to death notifications or were performing a wellness check remained unclear. The officers located the remains of a man in his 90s and a woman in her 60s, according to Mendoza's initial report.
"I can only state that we are conducting a basic death inquiry, awaiting search warrant authorization," the sheriff explained Wednesday evening, before his department had conclusively identified the individuals. "I wish to reassure the community and local residents that no immediate threat exists," he added.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's office further stated: "We do not suspect foul play contributed to their deaths; however, the precise death cause remains undetermined at this point."
Francis Ford Coppola ranked among the earliest to honor Hackman, sharing an image of them during the filming of 1974's The Conversation on Instagram. "Losing a great artist always brings both grief and appreciation: Gene Hackman a remarkable actor, motivating and brilliant in his performances," Coppola stated. "I grieve his passing, and honor his life and influence."
Edgar Wright described Hackman as "the greatest" on X, while George Takai referred to him as "one of the true masters of cinema."
He added: "Gene Hackman had the ability to portray any individual, making viewers sense a complete life story behind each character. He could transform into anyone or nobody, a dominant figure or a regular person. This skill showed his immense acting power. People will miss him, but his performances will endure forever."
Hackman maintained a 40-year cinema career, with appearances in The French Connection, Superman, and The Royal Tenenbaums, before ending his acting work in 2004. His fame came somewhat delayed, finding recognition in his 30s and later becoming a symbol of the anti-hero image typical in 1970s Hollywood films.
R.I.P.: Gene Hackman has passed away at age 95 (Source: www.joblo.com)
Born in 1930, he enlisted in the marines during the late 1940s and began pursuing acting studies in the late 1950s. Hackman developed a friendship with Dustin Hoffman at the Pasadena Playhouse where fellow students labeled both as "the least likely to succeed." After accumulating several small roles on television and stage, Hackman first appeared on film alongside Warren Beatty in the 1964 emotional drama Lilith.
Three years afterward, Hackman created his first notable impression with another performance next to Beatty. His portrayal of Buck Barrow in Arthur Penn's Bonnie and Clyde earned him his first Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. Though George Kennedy won for Cool Hand Luke, the recognition led Hackman to his first starring role in 1970's I Never Sang For My Father with Melvyn Douglas.
Yet Hackman found difficulty with the father-son relationship drama. "I undervalued the project and approached it too casually," Hackman explained in a 2002 Guardian interview. "Then Melvyn Douglas approached me saying, 'Gene, you'll never achieve your goals with your current behavior' - he wasn't referring to my acting but my professional conduct. He showed me not to use my doubts as justification for avoiding proper effort."
This guidance helped shape a performance that secured Hackman his second Oscar nomination. The next year he starred in William Friedkin's action thriller The French Connection and rose to A-list status due to the film's commercial success. Hackman received his first Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle.
"Movie production has always contained risks — both physical and emotional — but I prefer to view that film as one highlight in an uneven career of successes and failures," Hackman remarked in a 2021 interview.
Hackman achieved additional success throughout the 70s with parts in The Poseidon Adventure and A Bridge Too Far, while also demonstrating comedy skills through praised performances in Young Frankenstein and Superman, portraying the superhero's adversary Lex Luthor in the latter.
My favourite Cannes winner: The Conversation | My favourite ... (Source: www.theguardian.com)
His most exceptional contributions from that era appeared in movies that attracted small audiences: Arthur Penn's detective noir Night Moves, Jerry Schatzberg's travel film Scarecrow, and Coppola's conspiracy thriller The Conversation, which won the Palme d'Or. During this same timeframe, he declined parts in Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
In the 1980s, Hackman reprised his role as Lex Luthor in Superman continuations while also featuring in Reds, Hoosiers, and No Way Out. He earned another Academy Award nomination for Mississippi Burning before claiming his second Oscar in 1992 for his performance in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. This decade also included his appearances in The Firm, Crimson Tide, and The Birdcage.
Hackman began his alternative profession as a historical fiction writer with his initial publication Wake of the Perdido Star, followed by four additional books, with the latest released in 2011. His subsequent film performances featured celebrated humorous roles in Heartbreakers and The Royal Tenenbaums plus suspense films like Heist and Runaway Jury. The 2004 comedy Welcome to Mooseport marked his final screen appearance.
In 2008, he announced his departure from acting. "The decisive factor was a cardiac evaluation I underwent in New York," Hackman explained to Empire magazine regarding his retirement. "The physician informed me my heart condition was not suitable for exposure to any strain."
All About Gene Hackman's Late Wife, Classical Pianist Betsy ... (Source: people.com)
Following his acting career, Hackman provided voiceover for two documentaries: The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima in 2016 and We, the Marines in 2017. He also collaborated on three historical fiction novels with Daniel Lenihan before creating two independent works, with his latest titled Pursuit, a crime mystery.
Photographers captured him and Arakawa most recently during a restaurant outing in Santa Fe last year. Both individuals looked healthy and content.
In a 2009 discussion with Empire magazine, Hackman remarked, "I focus on my health. I have few anxieties. I experience the typical concern about mortality. You know, I suppose everyone contemplates that, particularly at an advanced age. I want to ensure my spouse and my relatives receive proper care. Beyond that, I maintain few worries."
When questioned in a 2011 interview about how he would characterize his existence, he answered: "'He attempted.' I consider that quite accurate."
