Actor Honored After Long-Endured Health Issues Took His Life

By Tom Baker

Val Kilmer, a 65-year-old award-winning actor who took the stage as ‘Iceman’ in Top Gun, succumbed to pneumonia on April 1. Kilmer had been fighting health issues since his throat cancer diagnosis in 2014, though he was declared cancer-free in August 2021.

The actor began his career in 1984 with the painfully underrated Cold War spy-comedy movie “Top Secret!”. He pushed on with a couple smaller gigs before making his claim to fame playing Tom “Iceman” Kazansky in the original 1986 Top Gun. Kazansky was portrayed as a cocky yet capable aviator, serving as a direct competitor to Tom Cruise’s character, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.

Kilmer’s talent was quickly picked up by major filmmakers, leading to him earning roles in “Tombstone,” “Batman Forever,” “Heat,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” and “The Doors.” His contribution to the industry even landed him a documentary of his own, titled “Val.” The 2021 film follows the actor’s life and journey to the top, including real footage from his childhood and early jobs.

As if Kilmer’s cinematic feats weren’t impressive enough, several years of his career were also spent in a battle against throat cancer. The actor hid his diagnosis from 2014 to 2017 before revealing it in an online post. In 2021, seven years after the cancer was found, he shared that he had undergone radiation, chemotherapy and a tracheostomy that led to his recovery.

Though Kilmer was left with some battle scars, including a tracheostomy tube and the inability to speak without a voice box, the actor’s career and the aviation community’s appreciation of his work were far from over. Kilmer re-appeared in a touching scene with Cruise for a sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick,” that debuted in 2022.

This set of films was not just recognized for their undeniably breathtaking cinematography, but also for their impact on the US military. The Navy took Top Gun's popularity in stride, setting up recruitment booths in movie theaters and running ads during showings, resulting in an 8% boost in interest.

"I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some,” Kilmer stated in his documentary. “I deny none of this and have no regrets, because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed.”

FMI: www.valkilmer.com