Will Forte looked back on his friendship with the late Val Kilmer. And he missed the quirky opportunity that remains one of his greatest regrets.
In a heartfelt essay of Vulture, the Saturday Night Live alumni were opened up about the close bond they formed with Kilmer after spending time together in Mac Gruber, a 2010 action comedy based on recurring SNL sketches. Forte recalled that Diet Von Khans, who cast Kilmer as the villain, looked unlikely in the past, calling him a “huge fan” and never expected Top Gunstar to sign on. However, when Kilmer agreed, the pair quickly hit it off and became temporary roommates.
Kilmer had moved out of his Malibu home and needed a place to stay. Forte offered himself, and what followed was a three-month stint of unexpected domesticity and shared pop culture obsessions.
Forte said, “Then, at one point, “Will, you and I have to race an amazing race. We have to. Let’s race an amazing race.” I’m like, “I’m so perfectly in.” We were really excited about it and called our respective agents and managers.
The comedian said the dream ended there, but the idea stuck to him.
“That’s probably the biggest regret of my entire career to this day. I’ve never raced a great one with Val,” admitted Forte. “I think we came out very quickly, but that would have been a lifelong experience.”
In the same compliment, Forte recalls Kilmer’s first fire on the show, saying, “What are you watching that trash for? Come on, that kind of thing will rot your heart,” gradually becoming a passionate viewer.
Kilmer passed away last week at the age of 65 of pneumonia. He had overcome throat cancer before. This is a battle that had a permanent effect on his voice. The actor left a legacy of diverse and memorable roles, from doors and gravestones to Kiss Bang Bang, Willow and his final appearance in Top Gun, to kissing Maverick.
Forte closed his tribute with a bittersweet reflection. “For some reason, we were lucky enough to have him do McGruber, but we didn’t know if I was able to work with him again.
Let’s take a look back at the MacGruber scene. Forte and Kilmer share the screen.
