Hollywood and fans around the world are mourning the loss of Val Kilmer, who passed away today at the age of 65 due to pneumonia. Known for his iconic roles in Top Gun, Batman Forever, and The Doors, Val was also famous for his high-profile relationships. Among them was his romance with singer-actor Cher, who once made a surprising revelation—he was the only man who ever dumped her.
Val and Cher began dating in 1982 when she was 36 and he was 23. Their relationship, despite a 13-year age gap, was passionate and full of admiration. However, it ended in 1984, just as Val’s Hollywood career was beginning to rise with his first leading role in the action-comedy Top Secret! While they parted ways, Cher later admitted that Val had been one of the few men to break up with her.
During a 2024 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Cher playfully spoke about her past relationships and the expectation that men had when dating her. When Stern asked, “Who would ever leave you?” Cher candidly responded, “Few men, few men. A couple. Look, I was madly in love with Val Kilmer and he left.” Stern, shocked by the admission, questioned Val’s decision, asking, “He’s having fabulous sex with one of the most beautiful women in the world, what the f**k’s the problem with this guy?”
Cher suggested that their age gap might have been a factor in their breakup, saying, “Sometimes you’re only meant to stay with someone so long, and Val was like—he was really young.”
Earlier, in a 2021 interview with People, Cher reflected on their relationship, explaining that at the time, dating younger men was more common for her because men her own age found her intimidating. However, she emphasized that there were no hard feelings and that she and Val remained close friends for decades. “I don’t know how we stayed friends, we just did. We didn’t try. We just were,” she said.
Beyond his relationship with Cher, Val was romantically linked to several high-profile women. He dated supermodel Cindy Crawford and actress Daryl Hannah, whom he described as one of his greatest loves. He also co-starred with Angelina Jolie in Alexander, later expressing admiration for her, though there was no confirmation of a relationship. Val was married to actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met on the set of Willow (1988). The couple divorced in 1996 after eight years of marriage and had two children, Mercedes and Jack.
