Los Angeles-born Val Kilmer today is one of the famed names in Hollywood with a long history of a successful career. His memorable roles like the Iceman from Top Gun and Batman from Batman Forever are his career landmark that will remain remarkable for all time to come. As the Batman actor after his surgery from throat cancer has been recovering and seems to have taken a long break from his career, can be seen again as Iceman in the Top Gun sequel called Top Gun: Maverick.

Let’s look into Val Kilmer’s successful career from his 80s and what happened to him in the present, in more detail.

Kilmer’s Career Success from the 80s

His success began in the 80s when he first debuted with the hit comedy movie Top Secret! 1984, which gained him lots of attention, and then he starred in other top movies of the times including Top Gun 1986, alongside Tom Cruise. The movie was a huge success, making him one of the top stars in the industry, then he keep receiving more leading roles in movies like Willow 1988, Billy the Kid 1989, and Kill Me Again 1989.

After his successful 80s, his 90s comes with other famous movies he acted in Tombstone 1993 alongside Kurt Russell, a high-rated movie of the time, then we have Heat 1995 which is considered one of the best drama films of the time.

He is well known as Iceman from the Top Gun but he is also as well known for being the Batman from Batman Forever 1995, one of his other hit roles grabbed attention along with the Simon Templar in the high-grossing movie The Saint 1997.

Later in the 2000s, he’s best known for his roles in movies like Red Planet 2000, The Salton Sea 2002, Spartan 2004, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 2005, Deja Vu 2006, and more to look at and ended another decade with success.

Then after 2010 when his health started degrading in 2014, he did play various roles before his hiatus later in the year, he starred in movies like The Traveler 2010, Twixt 2011, Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry 2014, and The Snowman 2017.

Is Val Kilmer Sick: What happened to Him?

Val Kilmer gives his full life description through his amazon prime documentary movie Val, which was released in August 2021. Here we will be taken into his unknown and unseen life from his childhood, and acting career to his personal life and everything coming in between. Through this documentary, we got to learn more about the Top Gun actor’s secret struggle with illness, and his throat cancer that left him unable to speak.

There were many rumors since 2014 when the actor was frequently been hospitalized and was seen with a dramatic weight loss but he never revealed any health-related issues to the public. Then we have seen him wearing his scarf since then, many of his friends and colleague also hinted about his health problems but Val Kilmer never accepted any of the rumors of him having a tumor or cancer. But later he was seen with a tracheostomy, somewhere in 2015, but the actor kept silent and he later revealed his operation in 2017.

The actor had a hard time telling the world about his suffering, which is why he kept it to himself but he reveals more of his struggle in Val, about how he can’t speak without the help of an artificial plugging and he said, “You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat.”  The actor was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, and then he went for the cancer surgery which helped him to be cancer-free but left him without the ability to speak.

Why does Val Kilmer Wear a Scarf?

Val Kilmer’s scarf has become a notable symbol for the actor who has been seen wearing it since 2014, this was also the time when there was news about his health degradation but no clear declaration was made during the time. Then we got to know about his throat cancer later in 2015, though the actor only confirms it in 2017, after which we also get to know about his cancer operation and him wearing the scarf because he went through a tracheostomy operation for his throat cancer.

Kilmer get rid of his throat cancer and the operation was a success but the whole process left him voiceless, he still has trouble breathing and can’t eat with his mouth, and have to use a feeding tube. So as to cover his cancer scars, Kilmer always wears a scarf around his neck and today it has become one of his principal symbols.

Val Kilmer Now in 2022

The Top Gun actor today 62, who has been in the film industry for 40 years, has been in many well-liked roles in many of our favorite movies. He may no longer be seen in the industry for him losing his ability to speak after his throat cancer but he will remain one of the top celebs in the industry. And now with the announcement of Kilmer’s one of his lifetime hit movies Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise is getting a sequel after about 36 years, which is causing the Top Gun fans more excited for the sequel. What’s more exciting is Kilmer our beloved Icemen from the movie will be there in the sequel.

After the long break because of his illness, today he will be back in the hit sequel of the Top Gun called Top Gun: Maverick, where Kilmer will have a short appearance. The actor’s daughter Mercedes Kilmer who watched her father shoot for the movie, said, “It means a lot to my dad as he’s very proud of that film. This is what he loves to do.”

Kilmer also joined the British tech company Sonantic to help him generate a version of his voice artificially, which will also be his voice in the new Top Gun sequel. The movie premiered at the Cannes film festival 2022 and after this, the movie was out in the theaters from May 25 onward.