Val Kilmer dropped out of the Hollywood spotlight, and here’s the real reason why

 for students to focus on auditions), he became the youngest ever person at the time to be accepted into the Juilliard School’s Drama

 Division in New York. No small feat given the obvious prestige.

By this point, it was starting to become clear that Val had serious talent. That, along with his charisma, was sure to take him far. Just how far, of course, very few people would have guessed.

Even so, Val found his time at the Juilliard School difficult. He didn’t fit in well with the establishment’s authoritarian way of running things, which led to complications when he wanted to go his own way in certain manners.

Nevertheless, he undoubtedly honed his craft there, and, despite the trials and tribulations, he graduated with a good deal of skill and experience that would stand him in good stead in the years to come.

Following Juilliard, the young Val dove straight into the New York City theater scene, taking on roles and making a name for himself on the circuit after a string of well-received performances on stage.

Around this time he was also forging another sort of reputation: that of a ladies man. He would go on to enjoy relationships with the likes of Cher and Ellen Barkin, but it was during his time on the theater scene when the wheels started to turn in this respect.

Before long, Val had started to make serious moves into the world of show business. He made his big-screen debut in the 1984 spy spoof movie Top Secret!, following it up with a supporting role in Real Genius (1985).

Yet it was his next big film, appearing opposite Tom Cruise as Iceman in Top Gun, that really propelled him to fame.

One thing’s for sure, and that’s that Val had yet to meet his soulmate. Yet he wouldn’t be forced to wait long in the endeavor.

In 1988, Val took on the role of Madmartigan in George Lucas’s fantasy epic Willow. As well as once more increasing his notoriety, Kilmer also met actress Joanne Whalley. The pair spent a lot of time with each other on set and found they had more in common than they had perhaps realized.