Overview

• Tom Cruise described his 2022 on-set reunion with Val Kilmer for Top Gun: Maverick as 'joyous' and akin to no time having passed.
• Kilmer, who reprised his role as Iceman despite health challenges, demonstrated remarkable presence even with minimal dialogue, according to Cruise.
• Cruise credited director Tony Scott’s persistence in 1986 for convincing Kilmer to take on the iconic role of Iceman, which he initially declined.
• Top Gun: Maverick marked Kilmer’s final onscreen appearance, intensifying the significance of his brief but impactful performance.
• Following Kilmer’s death from pneumonia in April 2025, Cruise paid tribute with a moment of silence at CinemaCon and ongoing reflections on his legacy.