Val Kilmer's ‘Conspiracy’ Director Slams Late Actor as "Worst Human Being" Ever

Marcus further alleged Kilmer was “on ‘something’” everyday of shooting and was always at least three hours late to set. 

“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,” Marcus continued. “He was paid 1.5 million and acted completely unprofessional. And this is truly the tip of the iceberg of bad behavior. If this guy did one-tenth of what he did on my set today, he would have been cancelled in a blink. Worst human being I’ve ever known.. and that is really saying something.”

E! News reached out to reps for Kilmer’s estate regarding Marcus’ comments but has not heard back. 

While Marcus does not have fond memories of Kilmer, other stars who worked closely with him praised Kilmer’s legacy after his death in April 2025. 

“I can’t tell you how much I admire his work,” Tom Cruise said during a tribute to Kilmer at CinemaCon 2025 days after his death. “How grateful and honored I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.”

Asking for a brief moment of silence in honor of Kilmer, Cruise added, “He loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us.”

Cruise emphasized that he considered Kilmer a modern Irving Thalberg, who was a pioneer for early motion pictures. 

“This man forged through it all and was able to create epic adventures for global audiences,” Cruise added. “You are an artist for all time. You are our modern-day Thalberg.”

For a look back at Kilmer’s life in photos, keep reading…