Val Kilmer, known for his iconic role as Batman in Batman Forever, drew a firm line when it came to one joke in the 2010 action-comedy MacGruber, according to director Jorma Taccone. The film, a spoof of action movies, featured Kilmer as the villainous Dieter Von Cunth. However, there was one gag that Kilmer was unwilling to perform.
Taccone recently recalled the moment during an episode of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast. “There was one joke he refused to do,” Taccone explained. “We wanted to cut his character’s penis off and shove it in his mouth. That was the one joke he didn’t want to do.”
Seth Meyers, cohost of the podcast, praised Kilmer’s decision. “I think now, especially, it was a good call on his part,” Meyers said. “It would be even harder to talk about him now if that had happened.”
Kilmer passed away on April 1 at the age of 65 due to pneumonia.
Taccone also fondly remembered Kilmer’s performance during the film’s initial table read. The actor had read the script cold, meaning he hadn’t prepared in advance, yet delivered a stellar performance as Von Cunth. “He nailed it, absolutely nailed the part,” Taccone said.
The director, who had admired Kilmer’s work since childhood, was starstruck by the actor’s presence at the table read. “It was shocking for all of us, just being such massive fans,” Taccone added. “I’d grown up watching Top Secret! and laughing so hard. To have him sitting across from us was surreal.”
Will Forte, the film’s star, shared similar sentiments. “I was in complete shock at how fantastic he was as a villain,” Forte recalled. “It was fascinating to watch him make such interesting choices with the character.”
Meyers reflected on Kilmer’s ability to master both dramatic and comedic roles. “What you learn from someone like Kilmer, especially in a comedy like MacGruber, is to play it seriously,” he said. “Even dramatic actors can miss the mark on comedy, but he really understood that the key is to play it straight.”
Kilmer’s impact on MacGruber and his mastery of both comedy and drama remain memorable for the cast and crew.
