Mercedes Kilmer, the daughter of late Hollywood star Val Kilmer, has paid a moving tribute to her father on what would have been his 66th birthday.
A Heartfelt Instagram Tribute
On December 31, the actress and singer shared a poignant collection of 20 photographs on Instagram, commemorating the Top Gun icon. Val Kilmer passed away on April 1 last year following a prolonged battle with throat cancer, which ultimately led to pneumonia.
"My dad would have been 66 today, born on the last day of the fifties," Mercedes wrote alongside the photo montage, adding a heart emoji. She expressed her gratitude, stating, "so grateful to all my friends for getting me through 2025."
A Life in Pictures
The slideshow offered an intimate glimpse into Kilmer's life, spanning from childhood to his celebrated film career. Images included a young Val clutching a baseball mitt, an early school picture, and a snapshot of him riding a horse.
The tribute also featured photos with Mercedes' mother, English actress Joanne Whalley, 64. Kilmer was married to Whalley from 1988 to 1996, and she was pictured comforting Mercedes the day after the actor's death. A photo believed to be from their 1988 wedding was included, alongside a tender image of Kilmer hugging a young Mercedes and her brother, Jack, now 30.
Celebrating a Storied Career and Personal Strength
Mercedes highlighted her father's iconic roles, sharing images from films such as Top Gun, The Doors, and Willow—the 1988 fantasy film that sparked his romance with Whalley. The collection also featured shots from his stage performances.
In a 2020 interview with People, Mercedes spoke of their close bond, saying, "My dad is such a smart and creative person that I love hanging out with, even if he wasn't my dad, too." That same year, they starred as a father-daughter duo in the film Paydirt, three years after Kilmer publicly revealed his throat cancer diagnosis.
Following a tracheotomy, Kilmer's voice was permanently altered. In Paydirt, he played a sheriff with a speech impediment. Mercedes admired his talent, noting, "My dad is so talented, and he’s able to artfully circumvent the limitations of his speech... It expanded what I thought acting was."
Kilmer was equally effusive about his children, telling People, "I am just madly, wildly entertained by them." Despite his health struggles, which he discussed candidly in the 2021 Amazon Prime documentary Val, Mercedes remained optimistic, focusing on the positive moments their family shared.
Kilmer's final film role was reprising Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky in 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick, starring opposite Tom Cruise. His last public appearance was in 2019, when he attended the Thespians Go Hollywood Gala with Mercedes as his plus-one.
The versatile actor once told Vanity Fair that he prioritised family, having turned down projects with "10 really great directors" because, "I can't be a responsible parent and only be there three or four months a year."
