Hollywood icon leads a heartfelt moment of silence for his late co-star from “Top Gun”
Tom Cruise Pays Tribute to Val Kilmer During Surprise Appearance at CinemaCon
In a deeply moving moment at CinemaCon 2025, actor Tom Cruise took the stage with an unannounced appearance — but before speaking about any upcoming film, he paused to pay tribute to his longtime friend and Top Gun co-star, Val Kilmer, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 65 following a battle with pneumonia.
With a hand over his heart, Cruise addressed the audience at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas:
“I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I really can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how much I thought of him as a human being, how honored I was when he joined ‘Top Gun’ and came back for ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’”
Cruise then invited the entire auditorium to join him in a moment of silence, saying:
“Let’s just take a moment and think about all the wonderful times we had with him. Would you all mind doing that?”
With that, the room went silent — a rare pause in an otherwise high-energy convention focused on the future of cinema. After the brief moment, Cruise concluded:
“We wish you well on your next journey.”
Val Kilmer’s Enduring Legacy as ‘Iceman’ in the Top Gun Franchise
Kilmer’s breakout role came in 1986 when he starred as LT Tom “Iceman” Kazansky opposite Cruise’s Maverick in the original Top Gun. The role launched him into international stardom and remains one of his most iconic performances.
In 2022, Kilmer returned to reprise the role in the billion-dollar box office hit Top Gun: Maverick, where his brief but emotionally resonant scene opposite Cruise provided a heartfelt anchor for the film. Despite health issues caused by throat cancer and a tracheotomy that affected his speech, Kilmer’s performance as the now-Admiral Kazansky was lauded by fans and critics alike.
Cruise previously described the reunion as deeply emotional, telling Jimmy Kimmel:
“I was crying… he instantly became that character again. You’re looking at Iceman.”
A Battle with Cancer, But a Voice That Echoed On
In 2015, Val Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer, which led to significant health challenges, including the loss of his natural voice. Despite this, he continued to perform and engage with fans, most notably through the 2021 documentary Val, which offers a vulnerable, personal look at his life and legacy.
His final scene in Top Gun: Maverick used technology to re-create his voice using AI, allowing him to deliver a few lines aloud — a feat made possible with Kilmer’s blessing and collaboration with voice AI company Sonantic.
Cruise’s Appearance Also Teases ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’
Following the tribute, Cruise briefly touched upon his next major release, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, set to release in 2025. While no new footage was revealed at CinemaCon, Cruise’s heartfelt presence and star power alone drew standing ovations.
Hollywood Mourns a Legend
Val Kilmer leaves behind a rich legacy, from The Doors to Batman Forever and Heat, but it’s his role as Iceman that brought him global adoration and earned him a lasting bond with Cruise and legions of fans.
As Cruise’s tribute showed, Kilmer was more than a co-star — he was family. Hollywood may have lost a legend, but his impact will continue to soar, just like the jets of Top Gun.
🕊️ Rest in peace, Val Kilmer. Your wings were never clipped.