Val Kilmer is an actor that is known for a variety of roles. He’s been Madmartigan in “Willow,” Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” Bruce Wayne in “Batman Forever,” and my personal favorite, Chris Knight in “Real Genius” (one of the most underrated ‘80s comedies ever, with a magnetic performance from Kilmer. But for many film fans, he’ll always be Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, the asshole fighter pilot from “Top Gun.”
In a new memoir, “I’m Your Huckleberry” (via USA Today), Kilmer actually explains that one of his most iconic roles, in that ‘80s action film co-starring Tom Cruise and directed by Tony Scott, almost never came to be. Why? Because he wasn’t interested in that type of film, at the time.
“I didn’t want the part,” the actor said. “I didn’t care about the film. The story didn’t interest me.”
He added that his agent forced him to go to the audition. Kilmer continued, “I showed up looking the fool, or the goon. I wore oversize gonky Australian shorts in nausea green. I read the lines indifferently. And yet, amazingly, I was told I had the part. I felt more deflated than inflated.”
Of course, we all know what happens next. Tony Scott’s film became a hit, with Tom Cruise’s role launching him into superstardom and Val Kilmer’s performance as the dick-ish Iceman being a hallmark of his career. Decades later, as Cruise began to ascend even higher as an A-lister, Kilmer began to experience some issues with his films not doing the box office he wanted. So, when it came time to begin development on “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kilmer wasn’t immediately offered a role.
In fact, according to the actor, the only reason he landed a role in ‘Maverick,’ where he reprises his Iceman persona, is because he begged for it.
READ MORE: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Trailer: Tom Cruise Flies Back Into The Danger Zone
“…as the Temptations sang in the heyday of Motown soul, ‘ain’t too proud to beg,’” he wrote. “The producers went for it. Cruise went for it. Cruise couldn’t have been cooler… Tom and I took up where we left off. The reunion felt great.”
Is the film going to be able to take our breaths away when it hits theaters this Christmas? That remains unclear. However, it will definitely be fun to see Kilmer and Cruise on the big screen, together again. Let’s just all hope they have another beach volleyball match.
“Top Gun: Maverick” arrives in theaters on December 23.