Hollywood has lost another iconic figure with the passing of Val Kilmer, renowned for his charismatic and complex portrayals, including in roles like Batman and Jim Morrison. Kilmer passed away on April 1, 2025, with his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, revealing pneumonia as the cause.
The actor was previously diagnosed with throat cancer and successfully recovered. However, the illness left him without his voice, something he had extensively opened up ahead of his passing.
Val Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015
The late actor Val Kilmer was quite open about his health struggles and his journey through a life-changing diagnosis of throat cancer. Initially, he underwent treatment privately before sharing his experience and path to recovery.
In 2017, Kilmer publicly revealed his diagnosis, explaining that the treatment had left his voice reduced to a rasp and caused shortness of breath in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
He also addressed his health in a Reddit AMA, responding to reports about Michael Douglas’ speaking on his condition. In response to a fan, he said,
He was probably trying to help me cause press probably asked where I was these days, and I did have a healing of cancer, but my tongue is still swollen altho healing all the time. Because I don’t sound my normal self yet people think I may still be under the weather.
The Tombstone star revealed that he was initially reluctant to undergo treatment until his children persuaded him. “I just didn’t want to experience their fear, which was profound,” he told the New York Times, sharing how he did not want to be away from his children.
“I would have had to go away, and I just didn’t want to be without them,” he continued. He ultimately underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, along with surgery. While the treatment led to his recovery, it also resulted in the loss of his voice.
Val Kilmer lost his voice after throat cancer recovery
The late actor candidly discussed losing his voice to throat cancer in his documentary and his memoir I’m Your Huckleberry, revealing how his treatment required both a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube, ultimately leaving him unable to speak.
“Now that it’s more difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever,” he said in his 2020 documentary, Val, which explores his career, battle with cancer, and recovery journey.
“I obviously am sounding much worse than I feel,” he said in the documentary (Good Housekeeping). Kilmer described the loss of his voice as a personal challenge, comparing it to learning a new language.
“It’s just like any other language or dialect,” he said in an interview with Good Morning America, explaining, “You have to figure out a way to communicate that’s no different than any other acting challenge, but it’s just a very unique set of circumstances.”
The Batman Forever star also shared that he underwent a tracheotomy as part of his throat cancer treatment to help him breathe and relieve pain caused by swollen throat glands, saying that he felt “wonderful” and was able to heal quickly.
Top Gun: Maverick integrated Val Kilmer’s real-life cancer battle into his return as Iceman
In 2022, Val Kilmer reprised his iconic role as Iceman alongside Tom Cruise in the Oscar-nominated film, Top Gun: Maverick, marking his final film before his passing.
The filmmakers adapted his diagnosis into his character’s storyline, having him communicate primarily through typing. For his brief dialogue, they used Kilmer’s actual voice, digitally enhanced for clarity, as per Variety.
“After getting treated, my voice as I knew it was taken away from me. People around me struggle to understand when I’m talking,” the actor said, opening up about the struggles of losing his voice in his collaboration with Sonantic.
Despite this, he remained true to himself and his creative spirit,
But despite all that I still feel I’m the exact same person. Still the same creative soul. A soul that dreams ideas and stories confidently, but now I can express myself again, bring these ideas to you, and show you this part of myself once more. A part that was never truly gone. Just hiding away.
His return to the film sparked hope among fans to see the actor in future projects. However, Top Gun: Maverick ultimately became his final role. Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, confirmed that he passed away due to pneumonia, though further details about his diagnosis remain scarce.
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