A young Val Kilmer as Iceman in 'Top Gun'

Notable People

Val Kilmer Got Into a Physical Fight With His ‘Red Planet’ Co-Star on Set

Val Kilmer was known for being difficult to work with while filming. Here's what to know about his physical altercation with Tom Sizemore.

by Lauren Weiler

Published on April 2, 2025

3 min read

Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore had a physical brawl on the set of ‘Red Planet’

Val Kilmer will forever be remembered for his famous Hollywood roles. And several actors and directors might recall him as an actor they had difficulty working with. Kilmer had an on-set brawl with Tom Sizemore while working together on the 2000s film, Red Planet.

Kilmer and Sizemore worked with each other before Red Planet, as they both starred in Michael Mann’s classic thriller, Heat. Unfortunately, their issues with each other came to a head during the Red Planet filming. Sizemore wrote about their problems in his memoir, By Some Miracle I Made It Out of There. Kilmer allegedly grew angry when he learned that production shipped Sizemore’s elliptical machine to Australia. The situation became worse when Kilmer allegedly told Sizemore, “I’m making 10 million on this, you’re only making 2,” according to Far Out Magazine.

Sizemore reportedly threw a 50-pound weight at Kilmer, which missed. The production crew told the actors that if they were to get in a physical brawl, they should avoid hitting each other in the face due to filming. Sizemore hit Kilmer in the chest, stating, “I’m never going to another planet with you again.”

Neither actor ever shared exactly what went down behind the scenes aside from their physical altercation. But they vowed to never work together again.

Val Kilmer’s daughter said her father was often portrayed ‘incorrectly’ by the media

While Val Kilmer seemed to have a handful of people in Hollywood who found him difficult, his daughter says the media appeared to portray him “incorrectly.”

“Some of it is an incorrect portrayal of him,” Mercedes Kilmer told People on April 2, 2025. “He is very private, and he’s such a serious actor.”

“When he’s at work and even when he’s doing interviews he comes across very seriously because he’s in his professional mode,” she added.

Kilmer once addressed his reputation during a Reddit Ask Me Anything. According to the actor, he “didn’t do enough hand-holding and flattering and reassuring to the financiers.” He “only cared about the acting,” while others involved in the films cared more about the film itself or the money.

“I like to take risks, and this often gave the impression I was willing to risk their money not being returned, which was foolish of me,” he continued. “I understand that now. And sometimes when you are the head of a project and the lead actor is usually the reason a film is being made, unless it’s a superstar director, then it’s only fair to make people feel good and happy they are at work. I was often unhappy trying to make pictures better.”

The actor said he wished he spent more time ‘defending’ himself

Val Kilmer further addressed his reputation during his Reddit AMA. He explained how he “didn’t develop a persona” like his contemporaries, which put him at a disadvantage.

“When you think of Sean Penn, or Tom Hanks, or Johnny Depp, you think immediately of the same character and image I do,” he said. “Tom Hanks usually has an American flag behind his head for example. Johnny has a hat. These are characters they have created. It’s fun, and it’s a way to secure your part of the sandbox, but it’s only a slight part of who they are. These are their personas. Cultivated. Now that I’m older I do wish I had spent a bit more time here defending myself, only because it cost me some really fun roles and a mountain of money I assumed would always be there.”