Val Kilmer's Cause of Death and Family's Private Wish For His Burial Revealed After Troubled 'Top Gun' Actor's Death Aged 65
Val Kilmer's cause of death has officially been confirmed after he tragically passed away last week following years of battling health issues.
April 11 2025, Published 8:29 a.m. ET
Val Kilmer's cause of death has been revealed after the Hollywood icon passed away aged 65.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Batman star died of pneumonia, according to his death certificate issued by the Los Angeles County Department of Health.
Kilmer's death certificate confirmed he died of pneumonia and also revealed several underlying causes which contributed to his passing.
The actor, who also starred in Top Gun and The Doors, died after a long health battle and was cremated on April 7, a week after his death.
Kilmer's death certificate ralso evealed several underlying causes contributing to his death, including acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, chronic respiratory failure, and squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue.
Squamous cell carcinoma is also known as laryngeal cancer and develops in the lining of the throat, including the larynx and pharynx, with additional contributing factors listed on the death certificate, such as malnutrition and a tracheocutaneous fistula.
The 'Batman' star with diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.
A tracheocutaneous fistula is an abnormal complication between the trachea and the skin, often occurring after a tracheostomy tube is removed.
Kilmer had been battling health issues for over a decade, with his throat cancer diagnosis coming in 2014, leaving the disease and subsequent treatments to have had a significant impact on his ability to speak in recent years.
The star had been open about his cancer journey in recent years, and in his 2020 memoir I'm Your Huckleberry, revealing he had "been healed of cancer for over four years" with no recurrences.
Kilmer initially ignored cancer symptoms until he woke up 'vomiting blood.'
He initially ignored symptoms before seeking medical attention and wrote: "One night I suddenly awoke vomiting blood that covered the bed like a scene out of The Godfather," before recalling that he "prayed immediately, then called 911."
Following his diagnosis, he underwent a tracheotomy, chemotherapy, and radiation, with his daughter Mercedes later revealing: "The prognosis did not look good."
The treatments severely damaged his vocal cords, forcing him to learn to speak again.
Speaking in 2021, Kilmer's son Jack said: "There are things we do every day to soothe the vocal cords and to repair them, but they're very damaged."
Tom Cruise paid tribute to his late 'Top Gun' co-star during an appearance at a ComicCon in Las Vegas.
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Kilmer's final on-screen performance came in 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, where he reprised his role as Iceman, with the film poignantly acknowledging his real-life health struggles, with his character also facing serious health issues.
Following Kilmer's death, Tom Cruise, 62, paid tribute to his co-star at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
He said: "I'd like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can't tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick."
An emotional Cruise added: "I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us.
"Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him. I wish you well on the next journey."
