On a recent segment of Fox News, host Jesse Watters made a notable blunder by confusing the late Val Kilmer with one of the stars from the 1987 cult classic, The Lost Boys. This slip occurred during a discussion featuring acclaimed filmmaker Oliver Stone, who was sharing his reflections on working with the iconic actor.
Val Kilmer, celebrated for his roles in films such as Top Gun and Batman Forever, sadly passed away from pneumonia in Los Angeles on April 1st.
A Misplaced Tribute on Air
During Watters’ broadcast, Oliver Stone poignantly acknowledged his sentiments regarding Kilmer’s untimely demise. In response to Stone’s remarks, Watters interjected:
“Well, he was a great actor, I… Lost Boys was one of my favorite films when I was growing up, and, you know. God bless his family!”
It’s worth noting that Stone directed Kilmer in the 1991 biopic, The Doors, where Kilmer portrayed the legendary Jim Morrison. Despite the mix-up, Stone chose not to correct Watters, prompting a wave of responses from viewers on social media platforms.
Clarifying the Confusion
Analysis of Val Kilmer’s extensive filmography reveals that he was not part of the cast for The Lost Boys. This movie featured prominent actors such as Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Alex Winter. The question lingers—who did Watters mistakenly identify Kilmer as?
Many netizens speculated that he confused Kiefer Sutherland, a key actor in The Lost Boys, for Kilmer. One user remarked:
“Did anyone else catch Jesse Watters saying Val Kilmer was in Lost Boys? That was Kiefer Sutherland. Val was not in that movie.”
Watters’ faux pas did not go unnoticed, with various viewers pointing out the error live on air. A few even challenged his credibility as a fan of Kilmer, suggesting that genuine fans would be aware that Kilmer was not involved in the film:
“Damn Jesse Watters, that was incredibly embarrassing. Oliver Stone be like, ‘WTF are you talking about?’. Val Kilmer was not in Lost Boys. Don’t act like a fan. You’re clearly not one. You derped the sh*t out of that.”
Oliver Stone Remembers Val Kilmer
In a different interview with Elizabeth Vargas of NewsNation, Oliver Stone reflected fondly on his collaboration with Kilmer during the production of The Doors. He shared his admiration for Kilmer’s dedication:
“I remember the great effort he made, and he was heroic.”
Stone mentioned the challenges encountered while filming, particularly Kilmer’s need to sing several of Jim Morrison’s iconic lyrics. The director praised Kilmer’s performances, stating that they skillfully blended Kilmer’s voice with Morrison’s actual recordings, creating a “nice mix.”He lamented:
“Val worked very hard, and unfortunately, he was just, I think it was too early for them to recognize it as a music film. Could be worth an Academy nomination for Val, but I was always sorry he was robbed.”
Oliver Stone also touched upon Kilmer’s struggles with throat cancer, suggesting that the actor’s health challenges affected his creative journey:
“You know he was a Christian Scientist, so he didn’t respond to the cancer…I think in the right way, but he did what he wanted. He was that kind of individualist.”
Stone concluded his reflections by expressing genuine sorrow over Kilmer’s passing, highlighting the loss felt not only in the film industry but also among his peers and fans.
For more on Jesse Watters’ gaffe concerning Val Kilmer and additional context surrounding the actor’s legacy, visit this source.