Val Kilmer Bashed By Director as ‘Worst Human’ One Year After Death ‣ Diverse Daily

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In April of 2025, beloved actor Val Kilmer passed away following a long battle with cancer.

Now, the director who worked with Kilmer on the 2018 film Conspiracy is opening up about their relationship.

And his comments are turning heads across Hollywood.

Actor Val Kilmer poses at a photocall to promote their new film "Alexander" at the St. Regis Hotel, on January 10, 2005 in Rome, Italy. — Actor Val Kilmer poses at a photocall to promote their new film “Alexander” at the St. Regis Hotel, on January 10, 2005 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Adam Marcus publicly blasted the late star, calling him the “worst human being” he had ever known and dismissing the idea that a person’s death should automatically shield them from criticism.

Marcus shared a photo of the two on social media before launching into a scathing assessment of the actor’s behavior on set.

“#MicroIntellectMonday to that time when I directed that guy. The guy who played Iceman and Doc Holiday [sic]. You know the one,” Marcus captioned the pic, adding:

“Here’s me and the Putz working it out on the set of Conspiracy. He was physically violent (kicked me in my crotch on set on day 6 because I would not look at his new crocs), sexually harassed my female cast, was verbally abusive, on ‘something’ almost every day, 3-6 hours late to set on almost every day.

“He was so alcohol poisoned on the first day of production I had to have an ambulance come to set to give him an IV before we could get one shot done.
The filmmaker concluded by describing Kilmer as the “worst human being I’ve ever known.”
Marcus later doubled down on those remarks when fans criticized him for speaking negatively about someone who is no longer alive.
“And to any of you rolling your eyes because of the whole ‘don’t speak ill of the dead’ bulls–t’, f–k that,”” Marcus wrote, before insisting that Kilmer’s alleged behavior would not be tolerated in today’s industry.
Kilmer died at age 65 from pneumonia after years of health complications related to his battle with throat cancer. The actor left behind an extraordinary Hollywood legacy that included memorable performances in films such as Top Gun, Batman Forever, Tombstone, and The Doors.
At the same time, Marcus is hardly the first filmmaker to accuse Kilmer of being difficult.
Other directors, including Joel Schumacher and John Frankenheimer publicly criticized the actor’s professionalism and behavior while working with him.
For his part, Kilmer addressed that reputation before his death.
In interviews and in his 2021 documentary Val, the actor acknowledged that he had sometimes rubbed people the wrong way during his career.
While accepting responsibility for some of his actions, he also defended his commitment to his craft and reflected on how he had changed over time.
Not everyone shared Marcus’ view, either.
Several former co-stars, including Kurt Russell, publicly praised Kilmer over the years, while others described him as professional, kind, and deeply dedicated to his work.
Obviously, Val was something of a divisive figure. But there’s no doubt that the work he left behind has secured his legacy as one of the top talents in Hollywood history.