Especially with his iconic part in the western classic Tombstone, in which he acted alongside Kurt Russell, the renowned Val Kilmer made an indelible mark on Hollywood which will never be forgotten.
On the other hand, not too long ago, Russell divulged a surprise fact that demonstrated Kilmer’s cruel sense of humour, particularly with regard to the presents that he presented.
A tale that is almost unknown
Even now, the entertainment industry is still in sorrow over the death of Val Kilmer, who passed suddenly on April 1 at the young age of 65. There has been an outpouring of tributes from renowned directors such as Ron Howard, Francis Ford Coppola, and Michael Mann, all of whom are paying tribute to the amazing legacy of the actor.
And in a recently rediscovered interview from 2024, Kilmer’s co-star in the film Tombstone, Kurt Russell, revealed a little-known story that provides an insight into the late actor’s twisted sense of humour. This is particularly true when it comes to the remarkable gifts that they exchanged after filming the western classic.
In an interview with GQ, Kurt Russell, who is 74 years old, commented on the historical practice of performers giving presents following the completion of a film. However, he made it clear that this practice was never required of them.
In response to the question of whether or not it was a pleasure to collaborate with Val Kilmer, who played Doc Holliday on Tombstone, Russell stated, “The answer is without a doubt.”
In the next explanation, he went on to say, “During those days, particularly when you were working with people, there were times when you would give them gifts or trade gifts with them at the end of the show.” Not only is it not required, but it is also not something that you are required to do or that they are required to do.
A present that is genuinely one of a kind
Following the wrapping of Tombstone, Kurt Russell wanted to provide Val Kilmer with a present that was truly one of a kind, so he enlisted the assistance of his driver to locate a few essential things from the set.
This is what Russell had to say about the situation: “I asked my driver if he could ‘get a hold’ of Kilmer’s holster, gun, hat, and chair with his name on the back,” he explained. “Take a picture, and then in that picture, I wanted to have this thing,” the speaker has said.
There was a great surprise in store for his co-star, which the Hollywood veteran had planned.
Kilmer was given a burial spot in Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone, Arizona, which is the same historic cemetery where many legendary figures from the Old West were laid to rest. Russell disclosed that he had given Kilmer this plot from the beginning. Kilmer, on the other hand, possessed a similarly gloomy sense of humour when it came to the act of gift-giving.
“I give Val this present, and he looks at me, and then he turns to his driver and says, ‘Give it to me,'” Russell remembered. “I give everything to Val.” Due to the fact that what I had obtained from Val was a plot in Boothill. The gift that Val had given me was an acre of land that overlooked Boothill.
Information from behind the scenes
When Russell thought about the irony of their conversation, he couldn’t help but giggle. “Wyatt is all about life, whereas Doc Holliday was all about death,” he stated while comparing the two. It seems to me that that pretty much sums up everything.
Val Kilmer’s acute sense of humour is brilliantly highlighted by yet another humorous behind-the-scenes detail from the film Tombstone. As stated by Kilmer, the screenwriter Kevin Jarre was adamant that the actors wear historically exact wool clothes while they were filming the 1993 movie. This was done in order to maintain a sense of authenticity with regard to the time period.
The filming of this took place in the blistering heat of Arizona, which made it particularly unpleasant.
During the scene that took place in the Birdcage Theatre, Kilmer remembers seeing a thermometer on set that displayed a terrifying temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56 degrees Celsius).
Kilmer, with his trademark wit, made a joke about how the oppressive heat could possibly explain the reputation that Doc Holliday had for being vicious. “It’s just that he wore wool in the summer, in the territory of Arizona, and that made him angry,” the speaker said.
Regard and admiration for Russell
Not only is it evident from the gift that Val Kilmer chose to give to Kurt Russell, but it is also evident from what he later said about his co-star. It is clear that Val Kilmer had a great deal of regard for Kurt Russell.
In the year 2017, Kilmer publicly acknowledged Russell’s contribution to the success of Tombstone, noting that Russell was a significant contributor to the development of the film. “There is no doubt that he was solely responsible for the success of Tombstone.”
In an interview with The New York Times, Mercedes Kilmer, the daughter of the late actor, acknowledged that her father had gone away on Tuesday as a result of complications from pneumonia.