Tom Cruise Breaks Silence On Val Kilmer’s Sudden Death: “He Gave A Lot To All Of Us”

Tom Cruise broke his silence on the recent death of his Top Gun co-star Val Kilmer, who died April 1 from pneumonia at the age of 65.

Cruise was making a rare public appearance at CinemaCon to give exhibitors a sneak peek at the final Mission: Impossible installment when he asked the audience to join him in a moment of silence honoring the late actor.

“I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer,” Cruise said. “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.”

Cruise and Kilmer starred together as rivals in Top Gun. Kilmer later reprised the role in the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick, marking the final acting role of his career.

Cruise asked the CinemaCon audience to honor the bonafide movie star, who headlined films such as The Doors, Batman, and more.

“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,” he said before hanging his head and leading the moment of silence. “Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.”

“I wish you well on the next journey,” he concluded.

Photo: Getty

Cruise has previously said his Top Gun: Maverick reunion with Kilmer was “emotional” for him.

“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 said of the experience on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2023. “You’re looking at Iceman.”

In a 2023 interview with USA Today, Kilmer said he was also “very moved” when he first watched the scene.

“Almost 40 years is a long time for a reunion. We laughed all day. Tom is great and surprisingly funny!” he told the outlet, adding the hug they shared later in the scene came “straight from the heart.”

A third Top Gun film is reportedly in the works.