Actor Spills On Prickly Encounter With Val Kilmer That Led To This Life-Changing Role

Actor Matthew Modine showed love to Val Kilmer as he reflected on a tense, chance run-in with the Hollywood icon that may have led to Modine starring in Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 classic “Full Metal Jacket.”

Modine, who was among those who paid tribute to Kilmer after his death on Tuesday, shared an excerpt from his 2005 memoir, “Full Metal Jacket Diary.” In the excerpt, Modine described seeing Kilmer “clearly cursing” at him while Modine was eating with David Alan Grier at The Source, a former vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles.

Grier ― who worked with Kilmer on the 1984 comedy “Top Secret!” ― approached him and, after sharing a laugh, gestured for Modine to come over.

“Val stops smiling. His face twists up like he just ate a lemon,” Modine wrote.

He later continued, “Val lets me know why he’s upset. He’s fed up with me getting parts that he could be playing.”

Kilmer was talking about the lead role of “Full Metal Jacket,” Private James T. “Joker” Davis, for which Kilmer had recorded an audition. But Modine said he didn’t know “anything about” getting the role — and neither did his manager when Modine later called him.

Modine had recently shot another war movie, “Birdy,” and suggested director Alan Parker send Kubrick some of his scenes.

“I hope Val’s right,” Modine recalled thinking.

Weeks later, he received a script for “Full Metal Jacket” with a note from Kubrick requesting that he call him after reading it.

“I look at the note for a long time. I imagine him writing it. Jesus. He sent it to my house! How did he do that?” Modine wrote.

“I wonder if that chance meeting with Val Kilmer at The Source had anything to do with what’s happening now. Who knows? But thanks, Val!”