Val Kilmer’s Death: When Top Gun Actor Parodied His Iconic Role of Iceman on Saturday Night Live

Trigger warning: this article contains mentions of death. 

Val Kilmer is recognized for fully embracing his roles and even pushing boundaries with method acting. Yet, this didn’t prevent him from laughing off humorous remarks about his characters. Kilmer solidified his status as a Hollywood icon by portraying Iceman in the 1986 film Top Gun.

The film, boasting performances by Tom Cruise, Meg Ryan alongside others, centered on an elite team of aviators undergoing their training at the prestigious Top Gun Naval Air Combat Center.

Maverick.

The movie turned out to be an enormous success, and Val Kilmer’s comeback on the silver screen significantly boosted the film’s impressive box office earnings. Back in 2000, the actor who played Batman Forever made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live and performed a humorous spoof of his famous Top Gun persona.

To enhance comedic impact, on SNL, Iceman was portrayed as being fifteen years past his time with the Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor (SFTI) program. This middle-aged Iceman transitioned into a commercial pilot role, yet retained the confident, cocky demeanor that made the sketch so amusing.

Apart from annoying the pretend flight team, Iceman is unable to suppress memories of his time as a fighter pilot. “We’re diving at 4 times the force of gravity; it’s too close for missiles,” Kilmer shouts, perched in the pilot’s seat. “I’m going to switch to guns,” he adds.

In simpler terms, Captain Kazansky is informing us that our in-flight movie today is Duet, featuring Huey Lewis. This announcement brings laughter from the audience. Apart from Top Gun, Kilmer was renowned for his roles in Batman Forever, The Door, Tombstone, Willow, and several other movies.

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2025-04-02 21:38