During his appearance at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday, Tom Cruise paused his presentation for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning to pay an emotional tribute to his late Top Gun co-star Val Kilmer, who passed away Tuesday from pneumonia.
“I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer, for a moment,” Cruise told the audience, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I can’t tell you how much I admired his work.” The actor reflected on their reunion in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, calling it a gift to collaborate again decades after the original 1986 film.
“If we just all take a moment to remember the wonderful time we had with him…” Cruise said, leading the crowd in a brief silence before adding, “I wish you well on your next journey.”
Kilmer, who reprised his role as Iceman in Maverick despite health challenges from throat cancer and a tracheostomy, had previously shared his joy at reuniting with Cruise. “It was like no time had passed at all,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2022. “We blew a lot of takes laughing so much. It was really fun… special.”
Though the role marked a triumphant return, Kilmer faced ongoing difficulties from his 2014 procedure, which required him to use a breathing tube. “I can’t speak without plugging this hole [in my throat]. You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat,” he explained to People in 2021.
Cruise’s tribute underscored their enduring bond, both onscreen and off, as Hollywood mourns the loss of a beloved talent.
