Director Adam Marcus Calls Late Actor Val Kilmer ‘Worst Human Being’ He Ever Worked With

Director Adam Marcus has criticized late actor Val Kilmer, saying he was the worst person he ever worked with.

In a post on Threads on Sunday, Marcus shared a photo of himself and Kilmer from the set of the 2008 movie Conspiracy. Marcus called Kilmer a "putz" and said he was the "worst human being" he had ever known. He also said that if Kilmer behaved the same way today as he did on the set of Conspiracy, he would have been quickly canceled.

Kilmer, who died from pneumonia on April 1, 2025, starred in Conspiracy alongside Jennifer Esposito. In the film, he played a disabled Iraq War veteran who uncovers a corruption scheme in an Arizona border town.

Marcus is not the first filmmaker to criticize Kilmer. Director Joel Schumacher, who worked with him on Batman Forever (1995), once called him "childish and impossible" to work with. Director John Frankenheimer also said he would never work with Kilmer again after The Island of Dr. Moreau.

Kilmer responded to such criticism in past interviews. In a 2003 interview with Rolling Stone, he defended himself and said some of the comments about him were unfair. He also said he was proud of his work and the success of his films.

In the 2021 documentary Val, Kilmer reflected on his behavior during his career. He acknowledged that he had sometimes behaved poorly, bravely, and strangely, but said he had no regrets and felt grateful for his life and experiences.