Maverick to be a pale imitation of the young, healthy man who had first played Iceman in Top Gun decades ago. Cancer had ravaged his physical strength, stealing his ability to speak properly, and left him really weak.

There have been quite a few tributes to Val Kilmer and his presence, and there are bound to be many more in the days to come. As the man who Batman Forever co-star Jim Carrey call

Near the end of his life, Val Kilmer was able to revisit one of his most famous roles: Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in Top Gun: Maverick. It was a character he initially had no interest in playing. Kilmer died on April 1 from pneumonia at the age of 65,