Quiz

Did his own singing while playing Jim Morrison in The Doors (1991). The real members of the band said they had difficulty distinguishing Kilmer's voice from that of Morrison's.

Did not want to appear in Top Gun (1986) but was forced to do so because of contractual obligations.

Broke his arm while filming The Doors (1991) when he performed a jump from the stage into the crowd and the stuntman failed to catch him. The injury has left Kilmer with an abnormal growth on his left elbow that can clearly be seen many times in Heat - La sfida (1995).

Warwick Davis, Kilmer's co-star in Willow (1988), says in his audio commentary that the question he is most frequently asked is: "What was is it like to work with Val Kilmer?" Davis says he has very fond memories of working with Kilmer, stating that Kilmer had a great sense of humor and was very dedicated to the job.

During the filming of Streets of Blood (2009), 50 Cent became good friends with Val Kilmer. The two actors bonded over their love of vintage cars and 50 Cent stunned Kilmer by giving him the keys of a 1965 Chevy Impala which the singer-turned-actor purchased for $100,000.

Is referenced frequently in Psych (2006). He made a surprise cameo in the series finale as the oft-referenced but never seen Detective Dobson.

Turned down the role of Ponyboy in I ragazzi della 56ª strada (1983) because he was working with a theater company at the time, and if he had pulled out, the show would have been cancelled and his fellow actors out of a job. He ended up working with director Francis Ford Coppola 28 years later in Twixt (2011).

Due to surgery for throat cancer, he can no longer eat and must be fed intravenously.

Turned down Patrick Swayze's role in Dirty Dancing - Balli proibiti (1987) because he didn't want to be perceived as a "hunk".

After his first film, Top Secret! (1984), he went off and backpacked around Europe.

Got the role of Chris Shiherlis in Heat - La sfida (1995) after Keanu Reeves, who was originally cast as Chris, backed out.

His work with the New Mexico Film Investment Program fueled a nearly 40-fold growth in the state's annual production revenue, from $3 million in 2002 to $117 million in 2006.

Grew up in the San Fernando Valley the middle son of three boys (Mark the eldest; Wesley the youngest). During his high school years, Wesley drowned in the family's swimming pool, an incident Val claims inspired his subsequent performance in Salton Sea - Incubi e menzogne (2002).

Met future wife, British actress Joanne Whalley, when they filmed the 1988 fantasy film Willow (1988). They had two children: daughter Mercedes Kilmer (born in 1991) and son Jack Kilmer (born in 1995), and co-starred in 4 films together: Willow, Kill Me Again - Uccidimi due volte (1989), Played - Se non giochi muori (2006), and Twixt (2011), in the latter they played a couple when they were already divorced in real life. Whalley is also thanked in the credits to Kilmer's documentary, Val (2021).

In 1995, Kilmer learned he was getting a divorce while watching CNN in a hotel room. "It was no fun," he has said.

Volunteered to work with AmeriCares in 1998, with which he visited Iraq in April 1998 to deliver food, medicine, and baby food.

He turned down Denzel Washington's role in Allarme rosso (1995). Years later, he noted it was one of the few films that he wished he had agreed to be in.

While promoting Comanche Moon (2008) and awaiting production of his latest film to start, joined Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba, Katie Holmes, Gina Gershon, and Kerry Washington in supporting V-Day and the global effort to end violence against women and girls. Ticket-sale proceeds from this event went to fund several non-profit non-violent humanitarian missions around the world. (gennaio 2008)

In the past, he used to send taped auditions to filmmakers, figuring they would be much better (and less pressure) than live auditions.

Made a personal appearance for the 2007 Orchard Beach Classic Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Show in New York. This was a one-day, non-profit fundraising event to raise money for the families of police officers who were killed in the September 11th terrorist attack. (settembre 2007)

Accepted into Juilliard's drama department at the age of 21 in 1981, making him their youngest ever student at the time. His record has since been supplanted by Seth Numrich, who was admitted at 15 in 2002.

Wrote poetry for actress Michelle Pfeiffer.

He declined to return for Batman & Robin (1997) due to his commitment with Il santo (1997) and lack of interest.

While being let out of the metal cage during the filming of the crossroads scene in Willow (1988), the rope holding the cage up broke and the cage landed on Kilmer's foot, nearly breaking it. Later on in the film, Kilmer (who played swordsman Madmartigan) can be spotted having difficulty walking.

Told Interview magazine during a 1991 conversation to promote The Doors (1991) that as a child, his family had employed a veteran of the Vietnam War, ongoing at the time, as a full-time babysitter. When the man found work elsewhere, the Kilmer family lost touch with him. Through Interview magazine they made an appeal for the Vietnam vet to reconnect with them.

While the movie The Missing (2003) was being shot about one hour from his New Mexico ranch, he called up his old friend Ron Howard [writer/director] and asked for a part. Ron gladly accepted and gave him a part that only took three days to film. Kilmer's scene is close to 13 minutes long, not counting the DVD's deleted scene.

He turned down the role of Jack Swigert in Apollo 13 (1995) order to film Spiriti nelle tenebre (1996).

Val Kilmer and Marlon Brando infuriated director John Frankenheimer on the set of L'isola perduta (1996). Frankenheimer later vowed to never work with Kilmer again. However, all the actors who worked in that film have said that Frankenheimer was a nightmare to work with, a dictator and a bully.

He worked with Sonantic, a software company based in London, to digitally recreate his voice with archive material and AI technology. The voice models are intended to be used in possible future projects.

Charles Durning told William Bolander, during a conversation on the set of Forget About It (2006), that Val Kilmer was one of the most talented actors he had ever worked with. They worked together on Incatenato all'inferno (1987) .

Loves buffalo (and owns several on his ranch in New Mexico).

He turned down Kyle MacLachlan's roles of Dune (1984) and Velluto blu (1986). In the latter case, he dismissed the script as "pure pornography". It turned out to be a different version to the final film. He regretted turning it down.

He has expressed a desire to play a villain in a Batman film to Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne/Batman.

Has lived in New Mexico since 1983.

He starred in "Slab Boys" with Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon on stage.

Was originally set to play the lead role in L'isola perduta (1996) but asked to switch roles because of his divorce.

He appeared in one Tony Scott film per decade, for three decades. First was Top Gun (1986) in 1986, then Una vita al massimo (1993) in 1993, and then Déjà vu - Corsa contro il tempo (2006) in 2006.

Ranked #62 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. (ottobre 1997)

Oliver Stone once considered him for the role of Alexander the Great in his long-delayed Alexander (2004) project. By the time the film was actually made, Kilmer played King Philip opposite Colin Farrell as his son Alexander.

Is a long-time board member of the New Mexico State Film Commission, which tries to persuade Los Angeles-based filmmakers and studios to film on location in New Mexico.

He auditioned for the role of Sergeant Elias Grodin in Platoon (1986). According to Oliver Stone, he gave a bizarre audition, where he portrayed the character as an Indian shaman.

His paternal grandfather was a gold miner in New Mexico.

His first auditions were for commercials at 13 years old.

Made a personal appearance at the Big Apple Comic Book & Sci-Fi Expo in New York City. This was a two-day fundraising event for several non-profit organizations as Kilmer donated all proceeds. (novembre 2007)

He was in the Kalahari Desert in Africa researching a story he was writing about witch doctors when he was offered the Batman Forever (1995) Batman role.

He's a big fan of Michael Fassbender. The two became friends after working together on Song to Song (2017) and L'uomo di neve (2017) and he invited Fassbender to the set of Life's Too Short (2011) when he made an appearance on the show.

He is 1/8th Cherokee: his father's grandmother was Cherokee. In Cuore di tuono (1992) he portrays a character who is 1/4th Sioux.

While on break from the set of Streets of Blood (2009) with 50 Cent, he joined Cuba Gooding Jr. in supporting the First Star Celebration for Children's Rights. (giugno 2008)

Attended Chatsworth High School with Kevin Spacey and Mare Winningham.

Val Kilmer auditioned for the lead role in Full Metal Jacket (1987) that eventually went to Matthew Modine.