Actor Val Kilmer, who once played Batman and Jim Morrison on the silver screen, died on April 1, 2025, age 65 from pneumonia. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 but later recovered.
Since his throat cancer diagnosis, Kilmer has not been as public about his life as he once was. Now that he’s gone, here’s a refresher on Kilmer’s ethnicity and other details about his family, including two significant tragedies from his early life.
Val Kilmer’s ethnicity
Val Kilmer was part Cherokee. https://t.co/JpfYLLMNZo
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Val Kilmer’s ethnicity is primarily English, with some Scottish, Irish, German, and Cherokee Native American ancestry. Val Kilmer has claimed to have Cherokee ancestry, but there is no documentation to verify this. Many Americans have family stories about Native ancestry that are difficult to confirm through genealogical records. While Kilmer has mentioned this heritage in interviews, it remains unverified by official sources, but there’s no reason not to believe him.
For example, in a newspaper ad responding to a Rolling Stone article criticizing New Mexico, Kilmer stated he is “part Native American” and would never slander someone because of their skin color, referencing his Cherokee heritage.
Kilmer also once wrote on Facebook about the strength and courage of Indigenous people and stated that his “great-grandmother was full-blood Cherokee.”
Who are Val Kilmer’s parents and does he have siblings?
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RIP ~ Val Kilmer pic.twitter.com/92krnl9WXx
Val Kilmer was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 31, 1959. His mother, Gladys Swanette Ekstadt Kilmer, was of Swedish descent, and his father Eugene Dorris Kilmer, worked in real estate and aerospace equipment sales.
Kilmer was raised in the San Fernando Valley, a suburban area of Los Angeles. He attended schools in the area, including Chatsworth High School, before later studying at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York.
Two tragedies affected Kilmer early in life. His parents divorced when he was young, and their separation had a significant impact on him. In his memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, he reflected on how difficult it was because his father, Eugene Kilmer, gained custody of him and his brothers.
He described his mother, Gladys, as warm and loving, while his father was more distant and enigmatic. The divorce created emotional struggles for him, and he has admitted to a complicated relationship with his father. Over time, however, he reconciled with his father before his passing.
Kilmer has also mentioned that the divorce shaped his views on love and relationships, contributing to the emotional depth he brought to many of his acting roles.
Kilmer had two siblings: Mark Kilmer, his older brother, and Wesley Kilmer, his younger brother, who sadly passed away at a young age due to epilepsy.
Like his parent’s divorce, Wesley’s death had a profound effect on Kilmer. In his memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, Kilmer called Wesley a creative genius who loved filmmaking and storytelling. He described his brother as “the most brilliant person I’ve ever known” and credited him with inspiring his love for acting and the arts.
Kilmer has also mentioned that Wesley’s passing led him to seek a deeper spiritual understanding and shaped his perspective on life. His loss remained a defining and painful moment in Kilmer’s journey.
Published: Apr 2, 2025 02:16 pm