While Val Kilmer's family asks to mourn privately, Tom Cruise makes his grief public

Val Kilmer’s household and friends are looking backmost astatine the histrion with emotion and pridefulness aft his death.

From Tom Cruise astatine CinemaCon to Kilmer’s lad and daughter, Jack and Mercedes, the sentiment was the same.

“We are truthful arrogant of him and honored to spot his bequest celebrated,” the household said Thursday successful a connection obtained by People.

They asked to beryllium allowed to grieve privately.

But Cruise enactment his grief retired determination and invited others to articulation him Thursday during an quality astatine CinemaCon, the league of movie theatre owners held annually successful Las Vegas.

Before getting exhibitors excited astir Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” coming retired adjacent period successful the United States, the movie prima talked astir Kilmer, his “dear friend” and occasional co-star.

“I can’t archer you however overmuch I respect his work, however grateful and honored I was erstwhile helium joined ‘Top Gun’ and came backmost aboriginal for ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’” Cruise said, per Variety. “I deliberation it would beryllium truly bully if we could person a infinitesimal unneurotic due to the fact that helium loved movies and helium gave a batch to each of us.”

He asked those contiguous to deliberation astir bully times with Kilmer during a infinitesimal of silence.

Kilmer was 65 erstwhile helium died Tuesday aft what his girl Mercedes told the New York Times was a bout of pneumonia. He had antecedently battled pharynx cancer, which took distant astir of his voice.

The prima of “The Doors” told The Times via email successful 2022 that helium and Cruise were successful interaction and exchanged Christmas presents each year.

“Tom and I get on truly well. We giggled similar small kids successful schoolhouse betwixt takes. I see him a existent friend. We shared intimate stories and challenges astir our antithetic lifestyles!!” helium wrote.

Regarding moving unneurotic connected “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kilmer said, “We talked rather a spot astir what was champion for the communicative and I deliberation they got it close astatine the end.”

The movie’s manager seemed to agree.

“You’ve got 2 masters astatine the apical of their crippled playing the astir iconic characters of their careers. I deliberation determination is simply a batch of Maverick successful Tom, and Iceman successful Val, truthful what you are seeing onscreen is an authentic relationship that has lasted implicit 36 years,” Joseph Kosinski told The Times.

“After 1 of the takes (we lone did a few), I noticed that some Tom and Val had tears successful their eyes. It felt similar a genuine infinitesimal betwixt 2 aged friends.”

Kilmer seemed genuinely blown distant by absorption to the movie and to his little relation successful it.

“I can’t judge however benignant the full satellite has been. I get hundreds of instrumentality letters each week. It’s precise humbling,” helium said, adding that helium was “so great” and “feeling stronger each day.” He dreamed astir playing Frankenstein, with Werner Herzog directing, helium said.

In the end, “Top Gun: Maverick” was Kilmer’s last film.

Former unit writer Michael Ordoña contributed to this post.