Tom Cruise honored his late Top Gun co-star Val Kilmer, who passed away at the age of 65 earlier this week, during his appearance at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. During the event, Cruise led a moment of silence to remember Kilmer, who portrayed the iconic character “Ice Man” in the 1986 film.

Cruise shared heartfelt words about Kilmer, stating how much he admired him as an actor and person, expressing his gratitude for their collaboration in Top Gun. He further praised Kilmer’s work in various roles, including as Batman and Jim Morrison in The Doors. Kilmer’s final film role was in Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.

After the tribute, Cruise bowed his head in silence before expressing his well-wishes for Kilmer’s “next journey.” The actor had previously spoken emotionally about working with Kilmer on Top Gun: Maverick, revealing how moved he was to have him on set despite Kilmer’s ongoing battle with throat cancer, which had affected his ability to speak.

Kilmer’s family reported that he passed away from complications related to pneumonia after multiple tracheotomies during his cancer treatment. His performance in Top Gun: Maverick was notably impacted by his use of a voice box, adding a deeply personal touch to his final appearance.