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Val Kilmer, the Top Gun and Batman Forever star who died on April 1 at the age of 65, has had his cause of death officially confirmed—and it underscores the secret health problems he'd been fighting in recent years.
According to a death certificate acquired by TMZ, Kilmer died of pneumonia, with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and chronic respiratory failure also mentioned as contributory causes.
His long-standing battle with squamous cell carcinoma, a kind of cancer that began near the base of his tongue, was identified as an underlying cause.
Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, had previously verified to The New York Times that her father died of pneumonia, adding tragic clarity to his dying moments.
On April 7, his corpse was burned and his ashes were given to his 29-year-old son, Jack Kilmer, whom he had with ex-wife Joanne Whalley.
He also shared a Mercedes with Whalley.
Following Kilmer's death, poignant condolences have flooded in from Hollywood and beyond, demonstrating how deeply he impacted people throughout his career.
"I'd like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer," Cruise announced to the audience. "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."
The Mission: Impossible star then led the crowd in a moving moment of quiet.
Even though Val Kilmer is no longer physically present, the memories he helped create — both on and off screen — remain very much alive.
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