Late actor Val Kilmer, known for his wide range as a performer and genuine personality, died April 1 at the age of 65 from pneumonia. A card was placed at the end of this Saturday Night Live episode on April 5 to honor him.
Kilmer had previously hosted SNL in 2000 alongside U2, where he even parodied his character Iceman from Top Gun. The Juilliard-trained actor had a versatile career in films like The Doors, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Batman Forever, as well as Tombstone and Willow.
Tributes poured in from the industry, including from fellow SNL alum Will Forte, who shared on- and off-screen memories of Kilmer. Co-star Tom Cruise also paid tribute to Kilmer at CinemaCon this week, calling him a “dear friend” and expressing admiration for his work.
Other notable tributes came from Nicolas Cage, Michael Mann, and many others. SNL host Jack Black was accompanied by musical guests Elton John and Brandi Carlisle during the show this week.
Source: https://deadline.com/2025/04/saturday-night-live-val-kilmer-tribute-1236361087