Yahoo Movies Why Val Kilmer 'had to' be in Top Gun: Maverick for Tom Cruise
The Iceman actor has died aged 65, leaving behind a huge body of work for fans to revisit including his final onscreen performance in Top Gun: Maverick.
Val Kilmer has from pneumonia died aged 65, the beloved Hollywood actor leaves behind an incredible filmography such as The Doors and Batman Forever. But one role fans will know him best from is Top Gun and its sequel Top Gun: Maverick, which he returned to on the insistence of Tom Cruise.
Kilmer portrayed LT Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in Top Gun, the once enemy of Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell before they went on to become friends in Top Gun: Maverick. When Cruise began conceiving the idea of the sequel to his Eighties classic there was one person he knew had to return, and that was Kilmer.
The actor's career had largely been put on the back burner after he had throat cancer and was left with difficulties speaking as a result of a tracheal procedure, but Cruise felt it was important not to sideline his character. In 2021, the film's producer Jerry Bruckheimer told People that it was a necessity for Cruise, sharing: "He said, 'We have to have Val, we have to have him back. We have to have him in the film.'
"And 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."
Kilmer's appears in a small but meaningful scene in the film where Maverick confides in his friend about his reservations about leading the new Top Gun mission and whether Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, the son of their late friend, should fly on it. Even if it was a short scene Kilmer shared how grateful he was for it, describing it as "like being reunited with a long lost friend".
He also said that even after 30 years "the characters never really go away. They live on in deep freeze. If you'll pardon the pun."
Having his co-star appear in the scene meant a lot to Cruise, who said after the film was released that he was "pretty emotional" throughout filming. Speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the actor said: "I've known Val for decades, and for him to come back and play that character… he's such a powerful actor that he instantly became that character again."
Cruise went on: "I was crying, I was crying. I got emotional. He's such a brilliant actor, I love his work."
Top Gun: Maverick has since gone on to become Kilmer's final onscreen performance, and following his passing it comes as a touching tribute to an exquisite actor.
Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick are available to watch on Paramount+.
