Cher Says Late Ex Val Kilmer Was ‘Funny’ and a ‘Pain in the Ass’ in Sweet Tribute After His Death at 65

Cher is thinking about Val Kilmer.

After the Top Gun actor died of pneumonia at age 65 on Tuesday, April 1, his ex-girlfriend Cher took to social media with a sweet tribute.

“VALUS,” the 78-year-old superstar began an X post on April 2. “Will miss u.”

“U Were Funny, crazy, pain in the ass, GREAT FRIEND, kids [love] U,” continued Cher, noting that Kilmer was “brilliant” as Mark Twain, whom he portrayed in 2014’s Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn as well as the 2016 one-man play Mark Twain: Citizen Twain.

The “Believe” singer added that Kilmer was “brave” during his “sickness.”

Cher and Kilmer dated after they met at a birthday party in the 1980s, and she told PEOPLE in 2021, “We became friends because we laughed at the same things constantly. He would sleep over and it was just a friendship [at first].”

Not only did the pair’s connection turn romantic, but they admired one another’s art. “It went from madly in love and laughing hysterically to respecting each other’s ability,” she said at the time.

In the interview, Cher referred to herself and Kilmer as “alpha males,” which led to some turbulence in their relationship. “We were both individuals,” she said, “and neither of us was going to give up on that.”

Kilmer stayed friends with Cher after their relationship ended and wrote in his memoir that she supported him in the wake of his 2015 throat cancer diagnosis.

“One night I suddenly awoke vomiting blood that covered the bed like a scene out of The Godfather. I prayed immediately, then called 911. Then alerted my hostess,” he wrote. “Cher stepped in and stepped up.”

In a November 2024 interview with The Howard Stern Show, Cher opened up about their relationship: “Sometimes, you’re only meant to stay with someone so long and Val was … really young.”

News of Kilmer’s death was revealed to The New York Times by his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer.