The entertainment world lost one of its greatest rock and roll actors with the death of Val Kilmer on April 1. The musician’s daughter confirmed to the New York Times that the actor had died of pneumonia at the age of 65.Though Kilmer was not a musician by trade, he portrayed one on the big screen on several notable occasions, beginning with his first film, Top Secret.He showed off his comedic chops in the 1984 film from Airplane! scribes Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. The joke-filled comedy centered on an American rock star (Kilmer) on tour in East Germany who gets himself entangled in international espionage when he steps in to rescue a woman (Lucy Gutteridge) in trouble with the local authorities.As Nick Rivers, Kilmer embodied the spirit of Elvis Presley and other aspiring cocky young musicians from the early birth of rock ‘n’ roll.Kilmer, who was making his acting debut, told Screen Crush of the experience, “I lived the boys and their comedy, but it took me 25 years to ‘enjoy’ not knowing what is going to happen on a set. My acting training is formal and I was fresh out of Hamlet-land and the Julliard School. The boys always wanted me to have more fun, but I wanted to be good and I took it all way too seriously.”The film also included a number of songs played for laughs, including “Skeet Surfing,” “How Silly Can You Get” and a parody of “Are You Lonesome Tonight?,” all of which were performed by Kilmer in the movie. Below you’ll also see him doing his take on the Little Richard classic “Tutti Frutti” as a way of proving his identity as a rock star to the resistance.Val Kilmer Sings “Tutti Frutti” in Top Secret”I’m always so pleased to get compliments about my very first film. It’s so long ago, but I almost never go through an airport or to a big game without someone making a point to quote a line or recount [a scene] and laugh,” Kilmer added to Screen Crush when speaking about Top Secret’s 30th anniversary.Was Val Kilmer in True Romance?It’s not hard to draw a line between Kilmer’s first movie and arguably his most mysterious role. Yes, though not clearly seen throughout the movie, Val Kilmer did play a pivotal role in the Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette-starring action flick, True Romance.His character name is “mentor,” but this voice inside the head of Slater’s character Clarence Worley is an embodiment of the King himself, Elvis Presley. Kilmer’s vocal affectations and body movements (his face is never shown) are reminiscent of Presley and he serves as a device for Clarence to work out his next moves in several scenes within the film, of course with the confident swagger that Kilmer provides doing his best Elvis.Val Kilmer as “Mentor” in True RomanceBreak On Through to the Other SideBut while both roles have Kilmer cosplaying as musicians, arguably his most notable rock and roll roll was portraying the very real musician Jim Morrison of The Doors in the film The Doors from Oliver Stone.Kilmer’s dedication to the craft of embodying the subjects he was portraying was taken to new levels during the filming of the movie. He wore leather pants throughout the film, asked castmates to only refer to him as Jim and he immersed himself in the music of the band for over a year.”He was an extraordinary guy. It was fun to jump on people and get paid for it which he did or he could also get into a very serious discussion about God or vomit on you,” Kilmer told David Letterman of playing Morrison. “Musicians as you know are strange.”In a separate interview with Jimmy Carter, the actor addressed Morrison’s self-destructive side noting, “He truly didn’t care if he died the next day.” “His alcohol intake was legendary, but greater than that was his appetite for life,” Kilmer later added, but turning the attention to his artistic talents the actor concluded, “There was nobility in his search to be recognized as a poet. It’s a legitimate part of the flack that he takes because he was willing to fail. You don’t get good without doing that. It just doesn’t happen.”While the mindset might have been a challenge, performing the music wasn’t. Kilmer admitted in multiple interviews the joy that had had in performing and singing the material while shooting the concert scenes. “The leather’s probably what killed him. It’s very hard to breathe in those pants,” joked Kilmer to Letterman. “But doing the concerts was a pleasure.”READ MORE: 10 Actors Who Actually Sang in Rock MoviesIn a 2017 Deadline interview, the actor remarked, “I’m so lucky. And I don’t think I’m bragging or inaccurate to say I’m fortunate enough to be in the best rock and roll film made so far, The Doors. Sure seems like by now someone like PT Anderson would have come along and taken that crown from Oliver, but it doesn’t seem to have happened yet.”Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison in The DoorsWith over 100 credits to his name, Kilmer enjoyed a broad ranging career. Some of his other career highlights include Top Gun, Batman Forever, Tombstone, Heat, Real Genius, Willow, Thunderheart, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Island of Dr. Moreau and The Saint.But you can’t reflect on Kilmer’s career without noting his rock and roll ties. Below see some of the other tributes left by musicians and fellow actors paying homage to Kilmer’s career.Doc CoyleDavid DraimanJohn RichMichael RappaportDanny TrejoAntonio BanderasBen StillerVincent D’OnofrioMatthew ModineRalph FiennesSasha GreyJames WoodsStephen MerchantBrett FavreJerry FerraraRockers We’ve Lost in 2025There’s some amazing talent that’s no longer with us, but what a legacy they left behind.Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
