Why the actor was the only person who could don the tight leather pants and unironic pretension of the over-the-top Doors frontman

The singer died in 1971. A new documentary series posits that he faked his death to escape the burden of fame, and is living in hiding.

Actress Jennifer Tilly posted to X to recall crossing paths with Kilmer during auditions for the 1991 Oliver Stone biopic, The Doors. Tilly had an uncredited role in the film, playing “Okie Girl,” per IMDb. But Kilmer landed the lead role as Doors frontman Jim Morrison—and Tilly wasn’t one bit surprised.

Val Kilmer will be remembered for many of his famous roles, but one of his most transformational was that of Jim Morrison in "The Doors." Upon the actor's death at age 65 on Tuesday, Kilmer's former co-stars,

The world woke up this morning to news about the loss of Val Kilmer, one of the most revered and beloved Hollywood actors over the past five decades.

A unique talent, Val Kilmer was praised as an acting chameleon who took on varied and challenging roles, and the results were often memorable.

Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone says actor Val Kilmer was “heroic” in his portrayal of Jim Morrison in the 1991 film “The Doors” and believes the late actor should have received Academy Award recognition for his performance.

American actor Val Kilmer died at the age of 65. His daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, said that the cause was pneumonia.

Charismatic and versatile, he also won praise for memorable roles as Iceman in 'Top Gun' and Doc Holliday in 'Tombstone,' but his unpredictable behavior ruffled some feathers in Hollywood.