Val Kilmer was set to walk the red carpet at The Beverly Hills Film Festival in a star-studded evening at the exact time of his death, it has been revealed. Photographers and event organizers were poised ready to capture the arrival of the Top Gun star, but the event quickly descended into chaos when they couldn't reach him. Nino Simone, the festival's founder and president, shared his disbelief and sorrow with reporters.

According to TMZ, he said it was only over the weekend that they confirmed Val’s attendance for the premiere of 'American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective' on Tuesday night (April 1). Val was reportedly thrilled to come out and support his friend Michael, but when it was time for Val's 7.30pm red carpet arrival, organisers were on the phone trying to reach his driver.

Simone revealed to the outlet that the shocking news of Kilmer's death broke at the exact moment he was set to make his grand entrance, which was both "unbelievable and heartbreaking." Kilmer, celebrated for his roles in Top Gun, The Doors, and several other classic films, passed away in Los Angeles aged 65, his family confirmed.

His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, disclosed to the New York Times that her father died from complications related to pneumonia. Kilmer had battled throat cancer after he was diagnosed in 2014, which led to severe medical interventions.

This included a rushed trip to UCLA Medical Centre in 2015 due to severe bleeding in his throat from a tumour resulting from oral cancer. In a 2017 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kilmer spoke about the ordeal's impacts, saying it had "taken its toll" on him, leaving him short of breath and with a raspy voice after a procedure on his trachea.

Despite these challenges, the dad-of-two reprised his beloved role as Iceman in the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick, although filmmakers had to use AI technology to recreate his voice, which had been affected by his cancer.

His battle with cancer eventually went into remission, and Kilmer, a devout Christian Scientist, often credited his faith with aiding his recovery. In a revealing statement to The Christian Post in 2017, he shared his views on healing, saying: "Many, many people have been healed by prayer throughout recorded history. And many, many people have died by whatever was modern medicine."

Following the news of his death, a slew of Hollywood stars paid tribute the A-list actor. Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Kilmer in the 2011 horror-mystery film Twixt, honoured the actor on Instagram, calling him a natural talent that "only grew greater throughout his life."

Actor Josh Brolin shared a heartfelt message alongside a photograph of the two, writing: "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."

Frozen star Josh Gad also joined in commemorating Kilmer, posting a photo of him as his iconic Top Gu" character, Tom Iceman, with the caption: "RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon."