Warwick Davishas a soft spot for the lateVal Kilmer, with whom he costarred in the 1988 fantasy movieWillow. "He's really the reason I got through the making of the filmWillow," Davis toldEntertainment Weeklyon Wednesday at the opening of Universal Epic Universe in Orlando. "Because if ever I was tired, exhausted, fed up, cold, he'd say, 'Come on, keep going!' And he'd be the kind of leader of the army, keeping us going. He was a beautiful man." Davis explained that he tells as many people as he can about what he saw inThe Doorsstar. Moviestore/Shutterstock "I always like to tell the world how great he was, because I often think the media gave the wrong impression of who he was as a person," Davis said. "He was a very warm, generous, kind-hearted person." Willowwas an action-fantasy movie, directed byRon Howardand produced byGeorge Lucas, that told the story of Davis' titular character protecting a baby from an evil queen. Kilmer played the part of disgraced knight Madmartigan, who befriends the young farmer. Joanne Whalley, whom Kilmer later married and had two children with before divorcing in 1996, costarred in the film, as well asKevin Pollakand the late Billy Barty. It was a hit at the global box office, grossing nearly $140 million, four times its reported $35 million budget. The movie also earned Oscar nominations for both sound and visual effects. The beloved story was resurrected for a 2022 Disney+ series, with Davis again in the lead role. Kilmer was struggling with his health, though, so he was unable to participate. Everyone involved was disappointed, as both the show and Kilmer had wanted it to happen. Gerardo Mora/Getty "We started building out the first season with the intent of having him appear," showrunner Jonathan Kasdantold EWin November 2022. "[It wasn't clear we couldn't get him] until pretty late in the process, frankly." The show wascanceledafter a single season. Want more movie news? Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more. Kilmerdied April 1of pneumonia at age 65. The star of films includingTop Gun,Heat, andTombstonehad been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. The actor, who also took a turn as Bruce Wayne inBatman Forever, was remembered by colleagues, including hisWillowdirector Howard, whopraised his "awesome range"; hisTop GuncostarTom Cruise,who said Kilmerhad a "beautiful" gift and was a "dear friend"; and hisBatman ForevercostarJim Carrey, whocalled the actora "generational talent." Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly
