Van Kilmer’s Children, Jack and Mercedes Kilmer Reveals Their Father’s Reasons for Taking Up the Jim Morrison’s Role: “He’d tell us that he felt he brought Jim back to life for the new generation…”

Val Kilmer’s legendary portrayal of Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors (1991) remains one of the most iconic performances in biographical cinema. Decades later, his children, Jack and Mercedes Kilmer, are opening up about what the role truly meant to their father—and why he felt compelled to embody the rock legend so completely.

In a recent interview, Jack and Mercedes reflected on their father’s deep emotional connection to Morrison’s story and spirit. “He’d tell us that he felt he brought Jim back to life for the new generation,” said Jack. “It wasn’t just acting for him—it was like channeling. He immersed himself so deeply, we felt like we were living with Jim Morrison for a while.”

Kilmer famously spent months preparing for the role, studying Morrison’s poetry, interviews, and stage performances. He sang all the songs himself in the film and reportedly learned more than 50 Doors tracks. “Our dad had a spiritual connection to music and poetry, and Morrison embodied both of those things in such a powerful, tragic way,” Mercedes added. “He wanted young people—people our age—to see Morrison not just as a wild frontman, but as a poet, an artist.”

Val Kilmer’s commitment to the role was so intense that even members of The Doors were shocked by his transformation. According to stories from the set, when Kilmer’s vocals were played back mixed with Morrison’s original recordings, the band couldn’t tell them apart.

His children say the experience shaped their father’s views on art and legacy. “He believed that art could resurrect souls,” Jack shared. “He felt that through playing Jim, he wasn’t just paying tribute—he was inviting people to rediscover someone whose voice still mattered.”

Now, more than 30 years later, Val Kilmer’s performance continues to captivate audiences, proving that his dedication did, in fact, bring Morrison’s spirit roaring back to life.