Val Kilmer's character in Willow explored in the wake of star's death at 65

On Tuesday, April 1, Hollywood veteran Val Kilmer passed away in Los Angeles. The Batman star was 65 years old at the time of his death.

Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed in a statement that the Batman star had died because of pneumonia. Although he was diagnosed with throat cancer over a decade ago, Kilmer made a full recovery, and the cancer reportedly wasn't the cause of his demise.

During the 1980s and 90s, Kilmer shot to fame for playing the protagonist in films like Batman Forever and Top Gun. Another iconic role played by Kilmer is that of Madmartigan in the 1988 fantasy adventure drama called Willow. Written by George Lucas, the film stars Kilmer, Warwick Davis, Jean Marsh, Joanne Whalley, and Billy Barty, among others.

Kilmer’s Madmartigan is a boastful, disgraced knight who helps Willow on his quest and falls for Sorsha (Joanne Whalley). Though the film received mixed reviews, it grossed $137.6 million worldwide on a $35 million budget and earned two Oscar nominations.

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Willow director pays tribute to Val Kilmer after his demise

Val Kilmer - Source: Getty

Willow director Ron Howard took to X on Wednesday, April 2, to pay tribute to Kilmer. After news of his death broke on the internet, Howard reposted an ABC News post with the caption:

"#RIPValKilmer I was incredibly fortunate to collaborate with Val a number of times over the years. As the off beat swordsman #Madmartagen in #Willow , his stunning #JimMorrison in Oliver Stone’s #TheDoors & in a chilling cameo in #TheMissing. I list these titles because even my own personal creative experiences reflect his awesome range as an actor."

The 71-year-old director also implored people to "check out his filmography," waxing lyrical about Kilmer's potential as an actor.

"Check out his filmography. Amazing. His art extended to his poetry, artworks, filmmaking and simply the way he lived. Bon Voyage, Val And thank you," he added.

Ron Howard went on to repost two tweets featuring GIFs of Kilmer as Madmartigan with the captions "Madmartigan forever" and "end of an era."

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Val Kilmer opened up about his struggles with throat cancer in his documentary

Val Kilmer - Source: Getty

Val Kilmer talked about his struggles with throat cancer in his 2021 documentary called Val. Directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo, the film covers his diagnosis, treatment, including radiation, chemotherapy, tracheostomy, and other procedures.

In an interview with People following the release of the documentary, Kilmer spoke candidly about his struggles with speech following the throat cancer diagnosis.

“Now that it’s more difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever," he said.

The recently demised actor also revealed that the tracheostomy left a hole in his throat, which he would often cover with a cloth.

"I can't speak without plugging this hole. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat," he added.

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Val Kilmer, star of Batman Forever and Top Gun, passes away at 65 after long health battle

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Val Kilmer is survived by his wife and their two children, Mercedes and Jack.