Tom Cruise emotionally paid tribute to his “Top Gun” co-star Val Kilmer after the latter died from pneumonia earlier this week.
“I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” the actor said at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday, per Variety.
“I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honored I was when he joined ‘Top Gun’ and came back later for ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’” he continued, referring to their 1986 and 2022 movies, respectively.
Tom Cruise addressed his “Top Gun” co-star Val Kilmer’s death at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday. Corbis via Getty Images
“I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” he said. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
“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,” Cruise, 62, added.
“Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.”
“I wish you well on the next journey,” he concluded.
“I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honored I was when he joined ‘Top Gun’ and came back later for ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’” the actor continued. Rob Latour/Shutterstock
“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,” Cruise added. ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection
Cruise, who portrayed Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and Kilmer, who played Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, met on the set of “Top Gun” in the 1980s and reunited in 2022 for the second film in the franchise.
Kilmer returned to work on “Top Gun: Maverick” despite losing his ability to talk due to undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy and two tracheotomies after he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015.
The “Willow” Star, who was declared cancer-free in 2021, communicated in the movie through the help of AI technology.
The “Mission Impossible” star reflected on the “wonderful times” he had with Kilmer. CBS via Getty Images
“I wish you well on the next journey,” Cruise said. Paramount Pictures
Leading up to his death, Kilmer continued to deal with side effects of his cancer treatment and was reportedly bedridden for years.
The actor struggled with a lack of energy and became “frail,” according to TMZ.
He was hospitalized the week before his passing and earlier this year.
Val died on Tuesday. Getty Images
He suffered from pneumonia. MediaPunch/Shutterstock
Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes, confirmed he died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday. He was 65.
The following day, the 33-year-old and her mom, Joanne Whalley, were spotted hugging outside her Los Angeles home.
Kilmer and Whalley, who were married from 1988 to 1996, share Mercedes and a son, Jack.
