Mirza Aaqib Beg
Born on December 31, 1959, Val Kilmer is an actor who used to be one of the highest-paid Hollywood stars in the 90s. His father, Eugene Dorris Kilmer, who unfortunately passed away in 1993, was an aerospace equipment distributor and real estate developer. Val’s mother, Gladys Swanette, belonged to a Swedish family but was born in Indiana in 1928. Although he was raised in an affluent household in Los Angeles, his life was far from perfect. When Val was only 8-years-old, Eugene and Gladys got divorced.
The separation took a toll on young Val, and he started living with his father and two brothers, Wesley and Mark. Wesley, the younger one of the two, had epilepsy, and he accidentally drowned in a jacuzzi at the age of 15. Val’s life is riddled with such tragic incidents, but the actor always found a way to pick himself up. He was accepted at Juilliard School’s Drama Division at a very young age, and it was evident that Val was taking concrete steps towards a career in the entertainment industry.
By the early 1980s, the actor was already offered a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 movie ‘The Outsiders’ (which he turned down because of other commitments) and starred (co-authored) in the play ‘How It All Began.’ However, it was just the beginning of a long career that has left an indelible mark on the film industry. Curious to learn more about Val Kilmer’s illustrious career and how much money he has made in all in these years? We have got you covered!
How Did Val Kilmer Make His Money?
After turning down the role in the coming-of-age drama film ‘The Outsiders’ due to other commitments, Val made an appearance in an episode of the anthology series ‘ABC Afterschool Special.’ Around the same time, he was also self-publishing his poems, but none of his work garnered much attention. However, his life soon took an unprecedented turn when he starred in the 1984 comedy film ‘Top Secret!’ as Nick Rivers. The movie instantly made him famous, and it didn’t take the actor long to become a major film star.
Following the success of ‘Top Secret!,’ Val took some time off and was seen in the 1985 science-fiction comedy movie ‘Real Genius.’ In 1986, he donned the life-changing role of Lieutenant Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the action movie ‘Top Gun,’ which ended up with a global box office collection in excess of $344 million. Val became a massive star following its success and went on to star in several other movies such as ‘The Doors,’ ‘Tombstone,’ ‘Batman Forever,’ ‘The Prince of Egypt’ and ‘MacGruber.’
Val’s acting credits also include several television shows, and he has interestingly appeared in music videos as well. Val Kilmer’s iconic career, unfortunately, has not saved him from personal woes. Following the death of his father in 1993, Kilmer got divorced from his then-wife Joanne Whalley in 1996. In the mid-2010s, he got diagnosed with throat cancer, and two tracheotomies forced him to use a voice box to communicate.
At the premiere of the Amazon Prime documentary ‘Val,’ his daughter Mercedes shared that he is still recovering and is doing his best in his battle against cancer. Val Kilmer’s journey so far is immortalized in the eponymous documentary film. The 90s star still has a huge fan following, and people may sometimes wonder how much has he earned in his career. So, without wasting any more time, let’s have a look at Val Kilmer’s net worth!
Val Kilmer’s Net Worth
Val Kilmer’s net worth is estimated to be around $25 million. Since Val is still fighting cancer, it looks like he will be making less frequent appearances on the big screen or television shows, much to the dismay of his fans worldwide. However, we hope that the film star makes a quick recovery.
Read More: Is Val Kilmer Married? Does He Have Kids?
