As fans mourn the loss of Val Kilmer, his unforgettable transformation into Jim Morrison in The Doors is once again under the spotlight—a role so immersive, it reportedly left him in need of therapy. 

The star, known for Top Gun (1986) and Batman Forever (1995), pᴀssed away in Los Angeles on Tuesday at the age of 65 due to pneumonia, according to his daughter Mercedes Kilmer.  

Though Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, underwent years of treatment, and was declared cancer-free in 2021, his health struggles had already forced him to step back from Hollywood.

Before retreating from the industry, Kilmer delivered one of his most hauntingly authentic performances in Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), embodying the legendary rock star with such intensity that it reportedly took a psychological toll.

Kilmer fully immersed himself in the role of Jim Morrison, reportedly spending a year studying his mannerisms, dressing like him, mastering 50 Doors songs, and even performing his own vocals for the film’s concert scenes. 

‘I didn’t get seduced into [Morrison’s] style of living but had to and needed to—for the role—to be as disciplined as he was in these escapades,’ Kilmer once explained. 

As fans mourn the loss of Val Kilmer , his unforgettable transformation into Jim Morrison in The Doors is once again under the spotlight—a role so immersive, it reportedly left him in need of therapy; (seen in 2019)

Before retreating from the industry, Kilmer delivered one of his most hauntingly authentic performances in Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991), embodying the legendary rock star with such intensity that it reportedly took a psychological toll

Kilmer fully immersed himself in the role of Jim Morrison, reportedly spending a year studying his mannerisms, dressing like him, mastering 50 Doors songs, and even performing his own vocals for the film’s concert scenes

He added, ‘He was a very disciplined drinker as much as he was a disciplined artist. I mean, he was looking for inspiration every second of the day.’

His commitment to the role was so extreme that it blurred the lines between acting and reality. 

Read More Val Kilmer’s voice falters in haunting final ‘Batman’ post before his death aged 65

In a Reddit post from 2017, Kilmer shared behind-the-scenes footage of a rehearsal at the legendary Whisky a Go Go, where he and his bandmates prepared for a pivotal concert scene. 

‘I was working hard getting my mannerisms down and trying to get that same edge the Lizard King had,’ he wrote.

The resemblance was so uncanny that even fans struggled to tell Kilmer and Morrison apart. 

One person commented that they had mistaken Kilmer for the real singer while watching the movie. 

Kilmer replied, ‘It still boggles me to this day seeing people with a tattoo of me playing him and not knowing it isn’t Jim. Happens more than you think.’

When asked what he would change about his performance, Kilmer gave only a small critique. 

‘A tiny less sneer maybe,’ he wrote. ‘By the time I did this, I pretty much had him down as much as I was gonna.’

However, Kilmer’s deep dive into Morrison’s psyche sometimes went too far. 

He reportedly requested that cast and crew refer to him only as Jim Morrison on set, though he later claimed this was intended only for his close team. 

In a Reddit post from 2017, Kilmer shared behind-the-scenes footage of a rehearsal at the legendary Whisky a Go Go, where he and his bandmates prepared for a pivotal concert scene

When asked what he would change about his performance, Kilmer gave only a small critique

His commitment to the role was so extreme that it blurred the lines between acting and reality

‘I didn’t get seduced into [Morrison’s] style of living but had to and needed to—for the role—to be as disciplined as he was in these escapades,’ Kilmer once explained  

‘Oliver Stone likes to get in the mood of whatever the scene is, so when [Morrison] started degenerating, that’s what it was about. I told him not to clean my clothes, for example, to get that unwashed hardcore feeling of rock and roll,’ Kilmer once said; (Josie Bissett, Frank Whaley, Meg Ryan , Kilmer, Deborah Falconer, Kevin Dillon, 1991)

Director Stone also encouraged an immersive approach to filmmaking, which Kilmer described in an interview with David Letterman. 

‘Oliver Stone likes to get in the mood of whatever the scene is, so when [Morrison] started degenerating, that’s what it was about. I told him not to clean my clothes, for example, to get that unwashed hardcore feeling of rock and roll.’

But even in a film centered around Morrison’s infamous self-destruction, Kilmer reportedly fought with Stone over how substance abuse was portrayed, according to The New York Times.

Kilmer’s intense Method approach allegedly also led to a controversial audition incident with a female scene partner, resulting in a settlement, though he maintained he was the one attacked, per the outlet.