How Val Kilmer has a presence in 'Willow'
Val Kilmer didn't travel to Wales for Willow, the new Disney+ series, but the cast and creator explains to Yahoo Entertainment how he's still heavily a presence in it.
Video Transcript
- There is a balance between all things-- light and shadow, good and evil.
KEVIN POLOWY: Can we expect the series to pay tribute to Val Kilmer in any way?
JONATHAN KASDAN: 100%. Val is a huge part of this. And the first conversation I had when Warwick and I got the green light to do this was with Val. And we wanted his character to be a part of the story. We wanted him to be in the show because we were shooting during COVID. He wasn't able to come to Wales and shoot with us. But he is in the show in a big way, and we're--
KEVIN POLOWY: OK.
JONATHAN KASDAN: --very excited about it. And we'll be interested for you to see how you feel about it. And I think that Madmartigan lives on.
WARWICK DAVIS: Well, Val's spirit is very much with the series. Myself and him have been in touch since we made the movie and a good friends. Now he is a terrific guy. I mean, I still attribute me getting through the film to Val because he kept my spirits up when conditions were really treacherous and difficult. I was cold, wet, tired. You know, he kept me laughing, kept the whole thing fun. So you know, Madmartigan-- Madmartigan lives on.
KEVIN POLOWY: Jon also told us that-- that your movie dad is gonna be a part of the show in spirit. Did you get to talk to Val at all? We know he wasn't in Wales, that one we know, but we know he's part of the show. That's what-- that's what Jon told me.
RUBY CRUZ: He's part of the show in a very big way for my character, Kit. I mean, he is her father but I think their relationship and what-- the sort of-- what he means to her is a-- is a huge-- I don't know what to say and what to not say, but-- yeah.
KEVIN POLOWY: It sounds like you maybe had some reservations. Like, did you have to weigh the pros and cons for a little bit before--
JOANNE WHALLEY: Weird, isn't it? It doesn't happen very often. I just thought, I don't know about that. Maybe-- maybe it's a good idea, maybe it's not. And maybe they've written a terrible thing. It might be dreadful. We better read it first. [CHUCKLES] Because you don't know, right?
KEVIN POLOWY: Yeah.
JOANNE WHALLEY: And also, you don't want to spoil something that has such a continuing impact. I mean, people loved it. And now they show it to their kids, you know. And their kids love it. It's a precious thing. You can't mess with that, unless you're serious about it.
- When that balance is upset, the universe corrects.
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