Val
Edward Kilmer (born December 31, 1959, Los Angeles,
California, USA) is an American actor.
Overview
Known for roles as diverse as the Elvis-like teen
idol Nick Rivers in Top Secret! to real-life legends
Doc Holliday, cultural hero Robert Elliot Burns, and
rock idol Jim Morrison, to larger-than-life characters
Bruce Wayne/Batman and Simon Templar, the Saint. In
the 2002 film The Salton Sea, he plays Danny Parker,
a jazz trumpeter who infiltrates a group of crystal
meth addicts and becomes one himself in an attempt
to avenge the senseless death of his wife
Biography
Born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in the
San Fernando Valley, Kilmer is one of three sons born
to Gladys and Eugene Kilmer, the others being older
brother Mark and younger brother Wesley. The family
is of mixed ancestry including Scottish, Swedish,
Irish, German, Mongolian, Sephardic Jewish and 1/8th
Cherokee ancestry. When he was 17 and just about to
start studying at Juilliard Drama School in New York,
Wesley drowned in the family's own swimming pool.
Recently, Kilmer and director D. J. Caruso explored
the theme of loss together in their film release The
Salton Sea. Caruso also lost a brother in an accident.
Kilmer's ex-wife is Joanne Whalley,
an actress and former lead singer of Cindy & the
Saffrons. The two met while working together on the
film Willow. They have two children, daughter Mercedes
and son Jack. Their marriage lasted from March 1988
to February 1996.
Kilmer is regarded as "difficult"
by some in the industry, such as directors John Frankenheimer
(The Island of Doctor Moreau), Ron Howard (Willow)
and Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever). Frankenheimer
reportedly became so angry that he had Kilmer physically
escorted from the set, later commenting "At my
age there are two things I will never do, climb Mount
Everest or work with Val Kilmer ever again!"
However, he has been commended by other directors
and co-stars, who see him as a very committed and
hard-working actor and easy to get along with.
In 2004, Kilmer returned to the theatre
to play Moses in a Los Angeles musical production
of The Ten Commandments produced by BCBG founder Max
Azria. The production, which was not a critical success,
played the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. Kilmer had
already voiced Moses for the animated movie The Prince
of Egypt.
Recently, Kilmer was in negotiations
with Richard Dutcher (God's Army, Brigham City) for
the lead role in his 2005 film Prophet: The Story
of Joseph Smith. He was initially cast in the part
and was excited about playing the Mormon church founder,
but had to back out due to other acting obligations.
Following something of a decline in his film career
and a noticeable weight gain, Kilmer is again looking
fit and is starring in The Postman Always Rings Twice
on the London stage, which is receiving excellent
critical reviews, as are Kilmer and his costars.
Partial filmography
Top Secret! (1984)
Real Genius (1985)
One Too Many (TV) (1985)
Top Gun (1986)
The Murder in the Rue Morgue (TV) (1986)
The Man Who Broke 1000 Chains (TV) (1987)
Willow (1988)
Hamlet (Colorado Shakespeare Festival) (1988)
Kill Me Again (1989)
Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid (TV) (1989)
The Doors (1991)
Thunderheart (1992)
Tis Pity She's A Whore (Joseph Papp Public Theatre,
New York) (1992)
The Real McCoy (1993)
True Romance (1993)
Tombstone (1993)
Wings of Courage (IMAX) (1995)
Dead Girl (1995)
Batman Forever (1995)
Heat (1995)
The Island of Doctor Moreau (1996)
The Ghost & the Darkness (1996)
The Saint (1997)
Africa Unbottled (TV documentary) (1998)
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
At First Sight (1999)
Joe the King (1999)
Red Planet (2000)
Pollock (2000)
Run For the Money (TV) (2002)
The Salton Sea (2002)
Wonderland (2003)
Spartan (2004)
Mindhunters (2004)
Alexander (2004)
source from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
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