“Who is this guy?” - Jennifer Tilly recalls meeting audacious Val Kilmer for first time as actress pays tribute

In the wake of Val Kilmer's recent demise, actress Jennifer Tilly is recounting her fondest memories with him.

The actress, who auditioned for the role of Pamela Courson in The Doors but ultimately lost to Meg Ryan, said of the late actor in a lengthy statement on X that she was flabbergasted to see the actor roll onto the set in a sixties convertible blaring loud music. But they eventually became friends, noting that from that moment on, "nobody else stood a chance."

Val Kilmer succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 65 on April 1, his daughter, Mercedes, told The New York Times. His demise has since sparked an outpouring of tributes from all those who know him.

Val Kilmer's life and legacy explored as friends and family mourn his demise:

In her statement on X, Jennifer Tilly said:

"A long time ago, I was auditioning for the movie “The Doors” It was kind of a cattle call. They paired together potential Jims with potential Pamela‘s. And they were running behind so we were spilling out of the casting office, sitting on the porch, the lawn, and the driveway."

She went on,

"All of a sudden, a sixties convertible came screeching up, blaring Doors Music at top volume. And a guy jumped out and strode inside: He had wild hair and he was barefoot, shirtless, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight leather pants. We all looked at each other like… Who is this guy? We were more than a little shook by the sheer audacity of his entrance. Well of course it was Val Kilmer and from that minute on, nobody else stood a chance."

She ended her statement by referring to Val Kilmer as "King."

Kilmer starred in some of the biggest films of the 1980s and 90s, such as Top Gun and Batman Forever. Director Francis Ford Coppola described the veteran actor as "a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know," the BBC has reported, while Ron Howard lauded his "awesome range as an actor."

His former girlfriend, singer Cher, referred to him as a "funny, crazy, pain in the a**, GREAT FRIEND" and "brave" during his illness. Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer back in 2014 and had to undergo a tracheotomy, which curtailed his acting career. However, he eventually overcame the illness. He later reprised his role as fighter pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise in the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick.

Josh Brolin also took to Instagram to share a photo of himself alongside Val, penning:

“See ya, pal. I'm going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There's not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”

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Val Kilmer is survived by his daughter, Mercedes, and his son, Jack.

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