Jack Kilmer Replicated Dad Val Kilmer's 'Crazy Energy' By Following In His Footsteps

Mar 15, 2022

Val Kilmer is one of Hollywood's most recognizable leading men. From his turn as Lieutenant Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in the classic 1980s film "Top Gun" and the fantasy film "Willow," to playing the Caped Crusader himself in 1995's "Batman Forever," Val has had a long and varied career.

Spanning decades, other notable roles of his include rock star Jim Morrison in "The Doors," as well as roles in "True Romance" and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." Even though his presence in Hollywood isn't as high as it once was, Kilmer is still part of the business and has continued to put out newer content.

Sadly, after lying low for a period in the mid-2010s, it was revealed that the actor was battling throat cancer. Val initially denied reports that he was ill, trying to keep his personal life separate from his public life and career, but in 2017 he decided to reveal his diagnosis to the public. This was while he was already well into his treatment but suffice to say, fans gave him their full support. 

While battling the disease, Val underwent chemotherapy and two tracheostomies, which ultimately left him with a rasp in his voice, changing the way he speaks. But while his voice is no longer like it once was, Val is still acting and doing interviews and showing that he hasn't lost his sense of humor. His son, Jack Kilmer, has also followed in his footsteps and has played a huge part in Val's life. Read on to find out more about their father-son relationship.

Val began acting by being accepted into the prestigious Juilliard School, where at the time, he was the youngest person ever to be accepted. He got his start in the theater and, at the same time, was showing off his other creative talents by writing plays and publishing poetry.

He broke through in Hollywood with the 1984 film "Top Secret!," which was followed by a lead role in "Real Genius" and soon after, "Top Gun." The rest, as they say, is history, and Val's filmography from the 1980s through to the 2000s speaks for itself. 

Considering he was a real Hollywood heartthrob, it's no surprise to learn that Val had quite the bevy of famous girlfriends during his career, including Cher, Ellen Barkin, Cindy Crawford and Michelle Pfeiffer. When asked last year what made him so appealing to these charismatic women, he had a very mature answer: 

"I'm committed. You have to be committed with a woman that's as dynamic and as committed to their work. As someone like Cindy Crawford, who was the number one model on the planet at the time." 

Val met fellow actress Joanna Whalley on the set of the film "Willow." They were married from March 1988 to February 1996. During that time, they welcomed two children: Mercedes, born in 1991, and Jack, born in 1995. 

Both of Val and Whalley's children have since entered the entertainment industry themselves, following in the footsteps of their actor parents. Mercedes made her feature film debut alongside Val in 2020's "Playdirt." Jack also worked with his father on a very special project – Val's self-titled documentary.

Jack has worked on a handful of movies over the years, including "Palo Alto" and "Lords of Chaos." He also played Ozzy Osbourne in the singer's music video for "Under the Graveyard." On top of that, Jack has found work as a model.

Jack first found his passion for the arts at a young age and met Gia Coppola when he was in first grade and she was in sixth grade. Later on, Coppola asked Jack to review her script for "Palo Alto" – a film based on James Franco's book of the same name – thus jumpstarting the project that helped Jack make a name for himself.

After his bout with throat cancer, Val's voice was left raspier than it once was. For his 2021 documentary titled "Val," he chose his son to narrate the story, detailing the highs and lows of his personal life. It was screened at the Cannes Film Festival before premiering on Amazon Prime in August that year.

According to Entertainment Weekly, using Jack as the narrator helped provide the documentary with a "poignant and spot-on soundalike narrator," helping viewers fully immerse themselves into the film. Working on the documentary was something that meant a lot to Jack, as he has continued to be inspired by his father's dedication and passion for work and life.

Speaking about Val with PEOPLE, Jack said, "He's a guy who wants to go out there and just be the best that he can be and he doesn't have time to think about how vulnerable he is because he's thinking about the next smash-box-office hit. He has crazy energy. He can't be stopped."

What do you think about Val Kilmer's son, Jack Kilmer? Did you know he narrated Val's self-titled documentary? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your friends and family.