In a resurfaced section of his memoir after his death aged 65, Val Kilmer admitted he spent the last 24 years of his life single.
Val Kilmer spent the last 24 years of his life single.
The ‘Top Gun’ actor’s death was announced by his family on Tuesday (02.04.25) after he passed away at the age of 65 in Los Angeles after suffering from pneumonia following a long fight with throat cancer that left him needing a voice box and feeding tube.
He was surrounded by family and friends – but despite being one of Hollywood’s most infamous Casanovas in his heyday, did not have a spouse or long-term partner at his side.
In a resurfaced quote from his memoir being shared by fans in the wake of his death, the actor, also known for roles in ‘Batman Forever’ and ‘The Doors’, once admitted: “The truth is I am lonely part of every day.”
Val, once considered one of Hollywood’s most bankable leading men, had lived alone for more than two decades following a string of high-profile relationships and a short-lived marriage.
He was romantically linked to several co-stars and celebrities throughout the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s.
But after a series of failed relationships, he spent his later years largely in solitude.
In his 2020 memoir, ‘I’m Your Huckleberry’, the then 60-year-old actor spoke candidly about the impact of being single.
He said: “I haven’t had a girlfriend in 20 years. The truth is I am lonely part of every day.”
Val met Joanne Whalley in 1987 while working together on the film ‘Willow’.
The couple began dating and married the following year.
Joanne, an actress from Salford, Greater Manchester, in the UK, was widely regarded as one of the greatest loves of Val’s life.
The couple welcomed their daughter, Mercedes, in 1991, and their son, Jack, in 1995, but their marriage ended in divorce the following year.
Over the years, Val was also romantically linked to several high-profile figures, including Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Cindy Crawford.
But it was his brief relationship with actress Daryl Hannah in 2001 that left the deepest impact on him.
He said in his autobiography: “Lord knows I’ve suffered heartache. But Daryl was by far the most painful of all.”
Val also admitted that the breakup left him devastated, saying: “I knew I would love her with my whole heart forever and that love has lost none of its strength. I am still in love with Daryl.”
The separation was so painful for Val he revealed: “I cried every single day for half a year.”
Daryl went on to marry musician Neil Young in 2018.
Val Kilmer spent the last 24 years of his life single
