Drew Barrymore’s Heartfelt Tribute to Val Kilmer’s Kindness on ‘Batman Forever’ Set

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Over a week has passed since Val Kilmer, aged 65, sadly passed away, leaving his admirers and Hollywood in deep mourning. Yet, as we reminisce about his life and career, memories like Drew Barrymore’s shared experience working with him in “Batman Forever” (1995) continue to bring a smile. On her talk show, she fondly recalled the kindness Kilmer showed on set, making it an unforgettable moment in her acting journey.

On Drew Barrymore’s talk show, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, actress Drew Barrymore had Kevin Bacon as a guest, and they discussed their past collaborations involving Val Kilmer and the late director Joel Schumacher. Although Bacon never made a film with Kilmer, they both starred in a Broadway play called “The Slab Boys” in 1983, and Kilmer appeared in Schumacher’s movie “Flatliners” from 1990. In Barrymore’s case, she worked with Kilmer on the film “Batman Forever,” which was also directed by Schumacher. With both Schumacher and Kilmer having passed away, Barrymore reminisced about her time working with them during the production of “Batman Forever.

This morning, I found myself reminiscing about Joel Schumacher, the director, as it was his and Val Kilmer’s involvement in Batman Forever that drew me in. Val Kilmer, in particular, was incredibly gracious towards me, showing genuine care, kindness, and creating a safe environment. This was particularly significant for me.

Who Did Drew Barrymore Portray in ‘Batman Forever’?

In the movie “Batman Forever,” Drew Barrymore shared the screen with Tommy Lee Jones, playing Sugar – a sweet companion to Harvey Dent/Two-Face’s other sidekick, Spice (played by Debi Mazar). Although her role was not large, she appeared in several significant scenes. One of these instances involved attending an event with Edward Nygma/Riddler (portrayed by Jim Carrey), posing as his date. This gathering, however, was a clever scheme to employ the Riddler’s gadget called the Box, which allowed him to steal information from people’s minds and store it in himself. At this party, Bruce Wayne (played by Val Kilmer) was also present, and the Box was used on him, enabling Nygma and Two-Face to discover that he was secretly Batman.

As a devoted cinephile, working alongside Kilmer left a lasting impression on me, for it was an exceptionally unusual encounter during my early days in Tinseltown. When Bacon hinted that Kilmer’s compassion and ability to create a secure environment on set might not have been as common back then, I wholeheartedly concurred. Reflecting on the experience, I recalled, “Indeed, nobody seemed to want anything from me, they wanted things for me. That was quite intriguing.” It’s rewarding to look back at that brief yet significant chapter in my Hollywood journey with a sense of warmth and appreciation.

Val Kilmer played Batman only once, replacing Michael Keaton who portrayed him in the 1989 movie “Batman” and its sequel “Batman Returns” in 1992. The film, titled “Batman Forever,” released in June 1995, turned out to be a massive success, earning $336.6 million globally on a production budget of $100 million, surpassing its predecessor’s domestic earnings by $84 million. Since Val Kilmer’s demise, fans have been rewatching “Batman Forever” and urging Warner Bros. to release the “Schumacher Cut,” a version said to offer an enhanced portrayal of Kilmer as Batman.

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2025-04-08 19:04