Tom Cruise pays tribute to 'dear friend' Val Kilmer with moment of silence at star-studded convention
Tom Cruise has paid tribute to his "dear friend" Val Kilmer with a touching gesture.
Kilmer, who starred as 'Iceman' in Top Gun with Cruise and reprised his role in the sequel, died earlier in the week at aged 65.
While on stage at CinemaCon in Vegas on April 3, Cruise addressed his co-star's death.
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Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer on Top Gun. Paramount Pictures
"I'd like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer," the actor said per Variety.
"I can't tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick."
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"I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us," he told the crowd.
"Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him."
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Tom Cruise after asking for a moment of silence for Val Kilmer at CinemaCon. Getty
Cruise was pictured bowing his head on stage after asking for a moment of silence.
He concluded his tribute with a farewell to his co-star.
"I wish you well on the next journey," Cruise said.
Kilmer was best known for starring in Top Gun and Batman Forever.
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Kilmer died aged 65. Getty
His daughter confirmed the actor died on Tuesday after a battle with pneumonia, per The New York Times
Kilmer starred as Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in the original 1986 Top Gun.
He reprised his character in the 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, which was his last role.
Following Kilmer's death, many of his former co-stars have paid tribute.
Kilmer reprised his role in Top Gun: Maverick. Paramount Pictures
Kilmer's Batman Forever co-star Jim Carrey said in a statement he was remembering the actor "with great admiration for him as a man and as a generational talent who left us an enviable legacy of indelible acting performances."
Nicolas Cage, who was in the 2009 film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans with Kilmer, said the star was a "genius actor".
"I always liked Val and am sad to hear of his passing," Cage wrote in a statement.
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