(KTLA) — Tom Cruise has broken his silence on the death of his “Top Gun” and “Top Gun: Maverick” costar Val Kilmer.

During CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the renowned actor invited the audience to pause and observe a moment of silence in memory of his “dear friend.” Cruise made an unexpected appearance to support the promotion of his upcoming film “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning,” addressing the gathering of movie theater proprietors.

“I’m deeply appreciative of his work and was truly honored when he joined ‘Top Gun’ and later returned for ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ It would be wonderful for us to share a moment together as he truly loved films and contributed so much to us all. Just reflect on the many delightful times we shared with him,” Cruise expressed, according to Deadline.

“I wish you well on the next journey,” he concluded.

In the 1986 hit, Kilmer played Lt. Tom “Ice Man” Kazansky to Cruise’s fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.

The pair reunited for the movie’s 2022 sequel, which Cruise called “emotional.”

“I just want to say that was quite emotional,” he mentioned to Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night show in 2023. “I’ve known Val for many years, and for him to return and embody that character… he’s such a remarkable actor that he immediately transformed back into that role.”

“I was crying, I was crying. I got emotional,” he said. “He’s such a brilliant actor, I love his work.”

Kilmer passed away on Tuesday of pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes revealed. He was 65 years old.