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Jim Carrey is remembering his “Batman Forever” co-star Val Kilmer after the actor’s death from pneumonia at the age of 65 on Tuesday.
“I’m remembering Val Kilmer today with great admiration for him as a man and as a generational talent who left us an enviable legacy of indelible acting performances,” Carrey, 63, said in a statement to The Post on Wednesday.
“His greatest artistic achievements were rivaled only by the grace and courage with which he endured his life’s most challenging moments,” Carrey, who recently unretired from acting, added. “Wishing his family so much love.”
Kilmer and Carrey both starred in 1995’s “Batman Forever.” Kilmer, who donned a Batman mask in his final Instagram post before his death, starred as Bruce Wayne/Batman while Carrey played the villainous Riddler.
The movie, directed by Michael Schumacher, also starred Chris O’Donnell as the sidekick Robin, Tommy Lee Jones as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, Nicole Kidman as Dr. Chase Meridian/Catwoman, and Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar as the characters Sugar and Spice.
Mazar, who had already worked with Kilmer in 1991 for “The Doors,” paid tribute to the late “Top Gun” actor in a touching Instagram post Wednesday.
“So sad to hear that Val Kilmer has passed,” Mazar, 60, wrote alongside two black-and-white photos of Kilmer. “I met Val in 1984, in a dilapidated van that had a door missing. We had just attended Vincent Gallo’s wedding to a girl named Denise(?) in NYC.”
“The van took a bunch of us to the wedding reception in Jamaica, Queens. Super fun memory of that day…Years later, I’d work with him in ‘The Doors’ & ‘Batman Forever,'” she continued. “He was so talented & interesting. I know he struggled over the years with his health, and was a fighter. My condolences to his family & loved ones. May he R.I.P.”
Besides Carrey and Mazar, dozens of other actors paid tribute to Kilmer following his tragic passing from pneumonia in Los Angeles Tuesday.
“See ya, pal. I’m going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker,” actor Josh Brolin wrote on Instagram. “There’s not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
“I always liked Val and am sad to hear of his passing. I thought he was a genius actor,” Nicolas Cage said in a statement about his former co-star. “I enjoyed working with him on ‘Bad Lieutenant’ and I admired his commitment and sense of humor. He should have won the Oscar for ‘The Doors.'”
“It was an honor working with Val on ‘The Ghost and the Darkness’ nearly 30 years ago,” Michael Douglas wrote on Instagram. “Val will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on forever in the films and performances he so brilliantly shared with us.”
Cher, who dated Kilmer for two years in the 1980s before his marriage to Joanne Whalley, broke her silence on his passing in a touching X post of her own.
“VALUS,” the singer wrote. “Will miss u, U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND, kids [loved] U.”
Kilmer married Whalley in 1988, but the pair divorced in 1996 after eight years of marriage. They welcomed daughter Mercedes, 33, in 1991, and son Jack, 29, in 1995. Whalley and Mercedes were spotted hugging each other in Hollywood following Kilmer’s death.
The “Top Gun: Maverick” star battled throat cancer for years before he passed from pneumonia this week. He first confirmed his throat cancer diagnosis in 2017.
English (US)