Movies - TV
Val Kilmer Went Out Of His Way To Make His Top Gun Haircut Even Weirder
By MATT RAINIS
Val Kilmer played the cold-hearted fighter pilot known as Iceman in the 1986 film “Top Gun.” Iceman reflected the stereotypical 1980s bully trope, from his behavior to his appearance. In his book “I’m Your Huckleberry,” Kilmer discusses his role and one of his character’s most defining and obnoxious features: his hair.
“I must also take partial credit for the weird crew cut I sported. The style was Tony’s idea, but I went out of my way to make it weirder,” Kilmer wrote. His impetus for doing so was to make the character as cartoonishly unlikable as possible; however, the hairstyle caught on after the film’s release, much to Kilmer's surprise.
He continued, “When it turned into a national fad — thousands of guys started emulating the coif — I was flabbergasted. And that’s a word you just don’t get to say that often and mean it.” To think any part of the great actor's legacy is the proliferation of the Iceman haircut is a chilling thought, but one Kilmer will have to live with.