What was Val Kilmer’s net worth? Who is Val Kilmer’s ex-wife?
Introduction
Van Kilmer was an American actor who played Iceman in “Top Gun,” Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone‘s “The Doors,” and Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever.”
Biography
He was born on December 31, 1959, in LA, as Val Edward Kilmer, to Eugene Dorris Kilmer and Gladys Swanette (née Ekstadt).
His paternal grandfather was a gold miner.
He grew up in a middle-class family in Los Angeles.
He attended Hollywood Professional School and the Juilliard School.
He made his acting debut with the 1984 spy spoof Top Secret!.
Val Kilmer in publicity portrait for the film ‘Real Genius’, 1985 – @Getty
Iceman in Top Gun
In 1986, Val Kilmer acted as Iceman in the action drama film Top Gun. Tom Cruise starred as Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Top Gun grossed $357 million globally against a production budget of $15 million.
In 1988, he played Madmartigan in the fantasy film Willow.
Doc Holliday in Tombstone
1999 in France – @Getty
In 1993, Kilmer starred as Doc Holliday in the Western film Tombstone.
The actor collaborated with dialect coach Tim Monich to capture the essence of a Southern aristocrat’s accent, stating, “I told him I needed a dialect that didn’t exist anymore.”
The film was a financial success. It grossed over $73 million worldwide.
Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever
In 1995, he took over Batman’s cape from Michael Keaton in the superhero film Batman Forever. It also stars Chris O’Donnell, Nicole Kidman, Jim Carrey, and Tommy Lee Jones.
“You need help getting dressed. It takes about 45 minutes to get undressed,” Kilmer described the challenges posed by the Batsuit in a 2013 interview on Conan. “You need help going to the bathroom. You can’t hear anymore… And then when you call out for help, no one comes.”
Also in 1995, he played alongside Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Robert De Niro, and Al Pacino, in the drama film Heat. It grossed $187 million on a $60 million budget.
Val Kilmer attends “The Ghost & the Darkness” Hollywood Premiere on October 3, 1996 at Paramount Theatre – @Getty
“I am in one of the greatest cops and robbers films in film history, has to be in the top 20,” the actors said in a Reddit AMA. “What an honor! Priceless experience.”
He declined to return for Batman & Robin (1997).
Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s biographical film The Doors
In 1991, Kilmer portrayed Jim Morrison in the biographical film The Doors. Roger Ebert praised Kilmer’s acting performances.
In order to play the role of Jim Morrison, Kilmer learned 50 Doors songs and paid for his singing lessons. He studied Morrison’s voice, his posture, his cadence, and even his silences.
“He was a very disciplined drinker as much as he was a disciplined artist,” Kilmer reflects about Jim Morrison in an interview in 1991. “I mean, he was looking for inspiration every second of the day.”
In 2007, Kilmer released a CD called Sessions with Mick.
Val Kilmer and Paris Hilton during “Wonderland” Premiere – @Getty
In 2010, he was seen in Michael Oblowitz’s horror film The Traveler.
In 2021, the American actor released the documentary “Val,” chronicling his life. It is built on thousands of hours of footage Kilmer filmed since he was a boy.
In 2022, he reprised his role (minor role) as LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun: Maverick. It grossed $1.496 billion worldwide.
This was Kilmer’s final performance before he died in 2025.
Wife
From 1988 to 1996, Val Kilmer was married to actor Joanne Whalley.
They first met while working on the film Willow.
Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley, film Kill Me Again in a casino in Las Vegas February 12, 1989 Las Vegas – @Getty
The pair had two children: daughter Mercedes and son Jack.
He reportedly learned he was getting a divorce while watching TV.
“You just don’t understand humility until you have children and get divorced,” Kilmer once said. “I was very hurt and very angry and so was she.”
He also dated Cindy Crawford, Cher, Angelina Jolie, and Daryl Hannah.
Cher and Val Kilmer 1982 – @Getty
Death
Val Kilmer died on April 1, 2025, from pneumonia in Los Angeles. He was 65.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014.
“He was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know,” filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola wrote on Instagram. “I will always remember him.”
“His rendition of Doc Holliday in Tombstone was what every actor dreams of achieving,” actor James Woods wrote on X. “Sad to lose him so soon.”
Height
Val Kilmer during “Boys on the Side” Los Angeles Premiere at The Directors Guild of America Theatre in Los Angeles – @Getty
Val Kilmer was 5′ 11¾″ (1.82 m) tall.
Val Kilmer – Net Worth
So, how much was Val Kilmer worth?
Kilmer earned most of his wealth from performing in 104 movies and TV series.
He was paid $6 million for The Island of Dr. Moreau, $10 million for Red Planet, $6 million for The Saint, and $9 million for At First Sight. Kilmer was also paid $400K for the first Top Gun film, and $2 million for Top Gun: Maverick.
Therefore, at the time of his death, Val Kilmer has an estimated net worth of $15 million. His children Mercedes and Jack Kilmer are expected to inherit the majority of his estate.
Real estate
Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan attend theToronto International Film Festival premiere of “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” at the Ryerson Theatre September 08, 2005 – @Getty
In 2011, Kilmer sold most of his 5,328-acre Pecos River ranch in San Miguel County. He kept 14 acres for himself.
Initially, the property went on the market in 2009 for $33 million, and it was lowered to $23 million, and ultimately to $18.5 million.
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I am Bulgarea Candin Stefan, and I founded FamousPeopleToday.com in 2018. I’m using my bachelor’s degree in economics and 9 years of experience in blogging to guide millions of people through the incredibly complex world of celebrity net worths.