The late actor Val Kilmer has been harshly criticized posthumously by Adam Marcus, the director of the 2008 film Conspiracy. In a now-deleted post on Threads, Marcus referred to Kilmer as 'the worst human being I’ve ever known,' dismissing the notion that one should not speak ill of the dead.
Director's Scathing Remarks
Accompanied by a photo of himself with Kilmer on the set of Conspiracy, Marcus wrote: '#MicroIntellectMonday to that time when I directed that guy. The guy who played Iceman and Doc Holiday. You know the one. Here’s me and the Putz working it out on the set of 'Conspiracy.'' He continued, 'And to any of you rolling your eyes because of the whole 'don’t speak ill of the dead' bullshit, fuck that.' Marcus added that if Kilmer 'did one-tenth of what he did on my set today, he would have been cancelled in a blink.'
Kilmer's Legacy and Previous Criticisms
Kilmer, best known for playing Iceman in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, also starred in the heavily panned Conspiracy as a war veteran investigating a friend's disappearance. This is not the first time Kilmer has faced harsh criticism from directors. Batman Forever director Joel Schumacher once called Kilmer 'childish and impossible,' while The Island of Dr. Moreau director John Frankenheimer said he would never work with him again. Even ex-girlfriend Cher gave a lighthearted mixed review following his death from pneumonia at age 65 in 2025, calling him a 'pain in the ass.'
Marcus did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost.
