I've been trying all day to try to figure out what to say about Val - about what he meant to me, to film, to artists everywhere - and everything feels inadequate.
But sometimes inadequate is all you have, so let's go.
Real Genius and Willow were two of the only films my sister and I could agree on growing up. My uncle's favorite movie was Top Gun, so I saw that one a lot growing up too. My mom loved The Doors, my step-dad was obsessed with Heat, my dad could probably quote Tombstone word for word - Val was a huge part of my childhood, even before I grew to love him in his own right and appreciated the artistry and uniqueness of his acting.
And, for a period of about two years, not that long after I graduated grad school and moved to LA, I was part of a publicity team that worked on about eight or so of his films. Not all of them were great (but a few were), but I got to know Val as a person. We weren't friends, but we were friendly. And what I remember most about those years is how kind he was. How weird and delightful his sense of humor was. How he remembered people's names and how curious he was about everyone, how curious he was about life. How willing he was to talk about the craft of acting, and the art of film-making. I remember how proud he was of his kids. God, he fucking loved talking about them. I'll remember that most of all.
Yes, of course, I'm going to miss the actor. The icon. The legend who gave us so many memorable roles, and played such a huge part in my life, and was responsible for some of my favorite characters in some of my favorite films. But mostly, I'm going to miss the kind, funny, weird artist who showed a girl new to the industry that it was possible to be an icon and a legend and still be a good person.
Val, I hope you know how much you changed people's lives. And I will miss having that artistry and kindness in the world. The light in all of us is a little dimmer without you.
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