Tom Cruise has shared an emotional message after the death of his friend and fellow actor Val Kilmer. The two starred together in the original Top Gun movie in 1986 and reunited in the 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

Val Kilmer, who played the role of Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, passed away earlier this week at the age of 65. Cruise, known for his role as Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, spoke about Kilmer during a speech at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.

While speaking at the Colosseum at Caesar’s Palace, Cruise said he wanted to honor Val Kilmer. He expressed how much he admired Kilmer’s work and how grateful he was to have worked with him on both Top Gun films.

“He loved movies and gave a lot to all of us,” Cruise said. He then asked everyone to take a moment to remember the good times shared with Kilmer, ending his tribute by wishing him well “on the next journey.”

Kilmer’s performance and presence left a lasting impact on the film industry and those who worked with him.