Will Forte Reveals Val Kilmer Wanted to Join Him on The Amazing Race: “It’s Maybe the Biggest Regret of My Career”

In a heartfelt tribute published by Vulture, comedian and actor Will Forte shared personal memories of his late friend and MacGruber co-star Val Kilmer, who died on April 1 at the age of 65 from pneumonia. Among the many stories he recounted, one stood out as both touching and bittersweet: Kilmer once asked Forte to team up with him on The Amazing Race. They were both in—until their agents shut the idea down.

Forte described how their bond began on the set of the 2010 action-comedy MacGruber, where Kilmer played the villainous Dieter von Cunth opposite Forte’s title character. “He literally gave me the shirt off his back,” Forte recalled, emphasizing Kilmer’s kindness and unexpected generosity.

But their connection didn’t end when the cameras stopped rolling. When Kilmer found himself in a housing dispute in Malibu, he asked if he could stay with Forte—who happily said yes. They ended up living together for two and a half months, during which time Forte introduced Kilmer to reality television. One show in particular hooked the Top Gun star: The Amazing Race.

“Then, at a certain point, he said, ‘Will, you and I have to go do The Amazing Race. We have to,’” Forte wrote. “I’m like, ‘I am so fully in.’ We got really excited about it.”

Unfortunately, their enthusiasm hit a wall. Forte and Kilmer reached out to their respective agents and managers, who quickly shut down the plan. “There’s no way you guys are doing that,” they were told.

Forte now looks back on the missed opportunity with deep regret.

“That is, maybe to this day, the biggest regret of my whole career — that I never did The Amazing Race with Val,” he wrote. “I think we would’ve gotten out very quickly, but it just would’ve been the experience of a lifetime.”

The essay paints a portrait of Kilmer far removed from his brooding on-screen personas—an offbeat, warm, and adventurous friend who loved to surprise those around him. Forte reflected that while they talked about collaborating again, nothing ever materialized beyond that one unforgettable summer of friendship and shared TV binges.

“Somehow, we lucked into getting him to do MacGruber,” Forte mused. “I settled for being his roommate.”

As tributes to Kilmer continue to pour in from Hollywood, Forte’s story adds a uniquely personal perspective to the legacy of a man best known for iconic roles but beloved by those closest to him for his soul.

Tom Cruise also honored Kilmer at CinemaCon this week, asking for a moment of silence during the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning presentation. “I can’t tell you how much I admire his work,” Cruise said. “I wish you well on the next journey.”