After a devastating years-long battle with throat cancer and deteriorating health, Val Kilmer has pᴀssed away at the age of 65.

The death of the beloved actor — known for his work in Top Gun (1986) and Batman Forever (1995) — was confirmed by his family to the NYT on Tuesday night.

HIs throat cancer battle, which began in 2014 and saw him undergo chemotherapy, radiation and surgery before being declared cancer-free in 2021, forced him to step back from the Hollywood spotlight.

While he stopped attending red carpet events in 2019, Kilmer kept up with fans by sharing his artwork and rare selfies to his Instagram.

And less than two months before his death, Kilmer published what would be one of his final social media posts on February 23, 2025.

He uploaded haunting footage of himself hanging out in a padded room with artist/musician David Choe, which was originally filmed in 2021.

Val Kilmer’s haunting final post has been revealed in wake of news that the actor pᴀssed away at age 65

The star looked relatively healthy with a slim build, clean-shaven face and his hair worn slightly long. 

In the clip, Kilmer, whose vocal cords were damaged by his throat cancer treatments, spoke briefly before trying on a custom Batman mask made for him by Choe.

Read MoreBREAKING NEWS Val Kilmer ᴅᴇᴀᴅ at 65: Batman and Top Gun star pᴀsses away after long health battle

Kilmer, who famously played the caped crusader nearly 30 years ago, quips that it’s ‘been awhile’ since he’s relived his Batman glory days.

After putting it on, Kilmer stares into the camera before panning to a colorful Batman portrait that was presumably painted for him by Choe.

Along with the video, Kilmer also shared visuals of Choe’s other Batman-related artwork as well as clips of the artist talking about his love for the superhero. 

Kilmer did not caption the February 2023 post, which garnered nearly 30,000 ‘likes’ from his 634,000 Instagram followers. 

Kilmer’s actual final Instagram post was published on March 22. 

It featured a pH๏τo of one of his original paintings, which he’d signed and posted on his website for sale.

‘It’s got that late-night glow,’ he wrote of the painting. ‘Cool tones with a low burn, like when the camp fire cools down but you’re still wide awake.’

On February 23, 2025, the Batman Forever star shared footage of himself with artist David Choe, which was originally captured in 2021 

In the clip, Kilmer, whose vocal cords were damaged by his throat cancer treatments, spoke briefly before trying on a custom Batman mask made for him by Choe

While Kilmer’s pᴀssion for art stemmed from childhood, he made it his primary focus after his ailing health forced him to give up acting.

News of Kilmer’s death has shocked fans and Hollywood. 

His daughter Mercedes Kilmer, whom he shared with ex-wife Joanne Whalley, revealed he pᴀssed from pneumonia in Los Angeles on Tuesday. 

Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and underwent surgery, including a tracheotomy which significantly impacted his ability to speak. He was later declared cancer free. 

Kilmer was known for his role as Iceman in the 1986 hit movie Top Gun and as Batman/Bruce Wayne in the 1995 Batman Forever.

He also famously played musician Jim Morrison in the 1991 film The Doors.

Aside from Mercedes, 33, he is also survived by son Jack Kilmer, 29. Kilmer was married to their mother Joanne from 1988 until 1996.

The star looked relatively healthy with a slim build, clean-shaven face and his hair worn slightly long

 Kilmer did not caption the February 2023 post, which garnered nearly 30,000 ‘likes’ from his 634,000 Instagram followers

Kilmer underwent both radiotherapy and chemotherapy for his cancer as well as a tracheostomy a procedure to create an artificial hole in this neck to help him breathe.

The latter permanently damaged his vocal cords and consequentially forever altered his speaking voice.

In the Amazon Prime documentary enтιтled Val, Kilmer spoke candidly about living with the consequences of throat cancer including having to use an electric device called a voice box on the artificial hole in his throat to talk.

‘I obviously am sounding much worse than I feel. I can’t speak without plugging this hole [in his throat],’ he said.

A voice box device is most commonly a battery-operated machine that produces sound to create a voice, and is used to help those suffering with throat cancer communicate.

The actor, who also had to have meals through a feeding tube, explained some of the other challenges.

‘You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat. It’s an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me,’ he said.

Kilmer has previously detailed how he was unaware he had throat cancer until one day he coughed up ‘coagulated blood’ and called for an ambulance before pᴀssing out.

He then woke up in a Santa Monica hospital after an emergency tracheotomy for throat cancer.

In 2020, Kilmer said he ‘healed very quickly’ following his throat cancer diagnosis, in an interview with Good Morning America.

‘This is a tracheotomy,’ he said while holding his hand to his throat, ‘to help me breathe because the glands in my throat swelled up as well’.

When asked what he misses the most about his voice, Kilmer told GMA: ‘That I had one! And that I didn’t laugh like a pirate.’