Fans have uncovered a truly ‘heartbreaking’ message that Val Kilmer left reminiscing about his time working with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.
It was announced on Wednesday that the Top Gun and Batman star died at the age of 65.
His daughter Mercedes said Kilmer had died from pneumonia in a statement to the New York Times.
The legendary US actor rose to fame after starring as Iceman in the 1986 Tom Cruise action film and later played Batman in 1995’s Batman Forever.
A host of top Hollywood actors have paid tribute to Kilmer, including No Country For Old Men star Josh Brolin and Josh Gad.
But now, film fans have uncovered a ‘truly amazing’ post that the actor left on Reddit from eight years ago, detailing his experience working on Michael Mann’s Heat in 1995.
After being asked by a fan what his experience was like working on Heat, Kilmer replied: ‘Well imagine being able to say, “Al and Bob” for the rest of your life.
‘Not many people can do that. I have seen Bob, giggling like a school girl in a van in the middle of the night, because we have to be quiet cause they are filming outside.
‘I have been hugged by Al Pacino in the middle of downtown LA like he was my older brother.
‘I have shot live rounds from high powered assault weapons over Bob’s head while rehearsing lines from our film. I got to kiss Ashley Judd.
‘I sometimes lived at Michael Mann’s house. I am in one of the greatest cops and robbers films in film history, has to be in the top 20.
‘I am on the poster for goodness sake. What an honor! Priceless experience. Watching ALL the actors do their thing. We all work hard but when you are with the icons, you get really squared away. Loved every minute of it.’
Responding to the late actor’s post, @Cleop4tr4hla said on X: ‘Love this, will miss you forever Val Kilmer.’
Fellow X user @Michael38166809 wrote: ‘Great post!! Sounds like he was as much a fan as the rest of us are! Heat defo Top 10! Class film.’
@GGdupre also added: ‘What a quote! My favorite movie ever.’
Meanwhile, @dams40ish called him a ‘class act’ and said ‘he’ll be missed’ with a heartbreak emoji.
Following Kilmer’s death, Heat director Mann also paid tribute to the actor by saying: ‘While working with Val on Heat I always marvelled at the range, the brilliant variability within the powerful current of Val’s possessing and expressing character.
‘After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news.’
Kilmer had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, discussing his diagnosis and recovery in his 2020 memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime Documentary Val.
He underwent both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, as well as a tracheostomy, which damaged his vocal cords.
Kilmer married Joan Whalley in 1988, who he met while working on the film Willow.
The couple had two children – Jack and Mercedes – before divorcing in 1996.
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