In 2015, Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer; he had a procedure on his trachea that damaged his vocal cords to the point where he had extreme difficulty speaking. He also underwent chemotherapy and two tracheotomies. In 2020, he published his memoir, titled I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir.
Val Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in his 50s, but he was initially reluctant to seek medical attention. He eventually underwent multiple rounds of intense chemotherapy, radiation, and a tracheotomy. And though the treatment left his cancer in remission, it also took away his natural speaking voice.
Kilmer played Cruise's rival in the original TOP GUN, leading to fierce competition throughout the naval aviator training program. They reconcile towards the end of the movie when Cruise saves Kilmer's life, earning his respect. The two stars have remained friends since working on the original film in 1986.
Val Kilmer is currently in remission from throat cancer, though the Alexander star's voice was altered from treatment. The actor, unfortunately, endured painful rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but it was a tracheotomy that permanently damaged his voice.
As a result of rounds of chemotherapy and two tracheotomies — a procedure that allows one to breathe without nose or mouth — Kilmer lost the ability to speak clearly. In 2021, through the use of AI technology, his voice was able to be recreated with archival audio.
Kilmer—who has appeared in films including Batman Forever, The Doors, and Heat—suffered irreparable damage to his voice after being diagnosed with throat cancer and undergoing a tracheotomy in 2014. He later compared acting after the procedure to learning a new language in an interview with Good Morning America.
Val Kilmer had to undergo a tracheostomy in order to treat his throat cancer. Although he survived his battle with cancer, the effects of the procedure are permanent. As a result of the tracheostomy, he has lost the ability to speak without assistance.
Cruise, 59, has remained one of the world's last movie superstars, while the once famously mercurial leading man Kilmer, 62, battled throat cancer in the 2010s that required a tracheotomy which still greatly impacts his speaking voice.
Tom Hanks wants to go out with a piece of the "Tom Cruise cake" in his belly. On Thursday's episode of Mythical Kitchen's newest YouTube series Last Meals, Hanks raved about the coconut cake that his friend Tom Cruise famously sends to him — and many other A-listers — every year for the holidays.
After her wedding to Kilmer in 1988, she moved to Los Angeles to continue her film career and began using 'Joanne Whalley-Kilmer' as her professional SAG-AFTRA name.
Here's what to know about Maverick's love interest. Is Penny Benjamin in the Original "Top Gun"? Penny, played by Jennifer Connelly, is not physically in the first "Top Gun" movie, but she does exist in it, though only mentioned in passing. She is never actually seen on screen.
A documentary about his life, “Val,” was released on Amazon Prime in 2021. He spent the '90s as one of the world's highest paid actors and now has an estimated net worth of $25 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
In these cases, the opening in the trachea is attached to a hole in the skin of a person's neck — and a stoma cover may be needed to keep the hole open. During the majority of his recent appearances, Kilmer has sported scarves over his throat – likely to cover the breathing device.
Val Kilmer, who famously played Tom Kazansky, a.k.a. Iceman in Top Gun, is a father to son Jack Kilmer and daughter Mercedes Kilmer. The actor shares his children with his ex-wife, Joanne Whalley.
Val Kilmer, the star of movies as wide-ranging as Top Gun, Batman Forever, Heat, and The Prince of Egypt, withdrew from the public eye following a throat cancer diagnosis and two tracheotomies which left his ability to express himself vocally severely impaired. He now speaks using a voice box.
Val Kilmer reprising his character Tom "Iceman" Kazansky for the Top Gun: Maverick sequel is extra special when considering an original movie detail that could have drastically changed the course of his role in the franchise.
How old was Tom Cruise in Top Gun? Tom Cruise is one of the best actors and producers in Hollywood. He has played Maverick in Top Gun movies 36 years apart. The American actor was 23 years old in the original 1986 movie and 56 in its 2022 sequel.
Tom Cruise's flying sequences in Top Gun: Maverick add to the excitement of the long-awaited sequel, as he actually flew in the film. The movie's ending, where Maverick and Rooster restore and fly a vintage P-51 Mustang, has a special meaning, as Cruise owns the same plane in real life.
Did Val Kilmer use his own voice in Top Gun? The short answer is no. Unfortunately, the actor has lost most of his voice due to his health condition. But thanks to AI and his compromise with the Top Gun sequel, we did hear some of his character voice in the movie.
