At CinemaCon, Tom Cruise paid tribute to his late friend and costar Val Kilmer, who passed away at the age of 65. During his speech, Cruise expressed admiration for Kilmer's talent and shared personal reflection on their collaboration in 'Top Gun' and its sequel 'Top Gun: Maverick'. He emphasized the emotional bond they shared, calling for a moment of silence in honor of Kilmer, who had battled throat cancer and had his voice altered but managed to return to acting with the help of AI technology. The news of Kilmer’s passing sparked numerous tributes from the entertainment community.
"I really can't tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a human being, and how grateful and honored I was when he joined 'Top Gun' and then came back for 'Top Gun: Maverick.'"
"Thank you, Val. I wish you well on your next journey."
Following the news of his death, tributes poured in from celebrities, costars, and directors.
Kilmer's voice was permanently damaged due to a tracheostomy, but he worked with a tech company to use AI to recreate his voice so that he could reprise his role in the sequel.
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