Val Kilmer has died, and the world mourns the loss of a remarkable actor and person. Despite battling a severe illness, Kilmer remained incredibly brave and resilient until the very end.
Vocal cords in ruins
Val Kilmer, best known for his iconic role as Iceman in Top Gun, was a force in Hollywood throughout the ’80s and ’90s, with unforgettable performances in Batman Forever, Tombstone, The Doors, and Heat.
He was also one of the highest-paid actors of the 1990s, and saw his films gross over $3.7 billion worldwide. In 1992, film critic Roger Ebert stated, ”if there is an award for the most unsung leading man of his generation, Kilmer should get it.”
Kilmer’s distinctive voice became a key part of his career, even extending to unique roles like voicing the iconic car, KITT, in the 2008 Knight Rider TV pilot and the subsequent series. His vocal talents added a new layer to his versatility as an actor, showcasing his ability to bring life to both human and non-human characters.
But after a tracheostomy procedure in 2015, a result of his battle with throat cancer, Kilmer’s voice was permanently damaged, and the one tool that had always fueled his creativity — his ability to speak — was no longer available to him.
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer fought bravely, beating the illness, but the treatment left his vocal cords in ruins (in order to speak, Kilmer plugged an electric voice box in to his trachea).
With speaking becoming increasingly difficult, Kilmer had no choice but to step away from his beloved film career. His final ever movie credit was in Top Gun: Maverick, released in 2022, where Kilmer reprised his role of the iconic Iceman.
In 2021, Val Kilmer teamed up with Sonantic, a London-based tech company, to digitally recreate his voice using AI. They used archived audio recordings to create over 40 vocal models, all aimed at finding the closest match for his original voice. The goal? To make sure his voice could be used in future projects, even after the damage caused by his battle with cancer.
However, for Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, director Joseph Kosinski clarified that, contrary to some reports, they didn’t rely on AI technology. Instead, they used Kilmer’s real voice in the film, though it was digitally enhanced for clarity.
”My creative juices were boiling over..”
Despite losing his voice, Kilmer’s creative spirit remained as strong as ever.
”My creative juices were boiling over and pouring out of me,” he once wrote, channeling that energy into a new form of artistic expression — painting.
In 2022, Kilmer introduced Kamp Kilmer, a project born from his love of art and his desire to create a space for connection and collaboration. Describing it as a place where people could come together to create and share, Kilmer poured his heart into this new venture, using it as a way to share his passion with the world.
In a heartfelt blog post shared on his website, Kilmer explained, ”My name is Val Kilmer. I’m an artist. I’ve lived a magical life. For more than half a century, I have been honing my art, no matter the medium. Be it literature, movies, poetry, painting, music, or tracking exotic and beautiful wildlife in the most remote African bush, to capture ephemeral moments with a camera, I yearn to express my creative spirit.”
He continued, ”Six years ago, I was diagnosed with throat cancer, and after much prayer, medical science, and the love of my family and community, I beat cancer. But because of the radiation and chemotherapy interventions, my voice and throat were severely damaged. It isn’t easy to talk and be understood. I am improving all the time, but am not able to be out in the world the same way I had become accustomed. When one thing is taken, though, another is given.”
The actor shared his journey of healing through art, saying, ”With little voice, my creative juices were boiling over and pouring out of me. I started creating again, painting, writing anything I could.”
Indeed, his last ever Instagram post was a photo of one of his paintings, with the caption reading: “It’s got that late-night glow. Cool tones with a low burn, like when the camp fire cools down but you’re still wide awake.”
The last post to actually feature Kilmer himself was published on February 23. The Willow actor, seen alongside Walking Dead star and fellow artist David Choe, donned a Batman mask, quipping: “It’s been a while.”
Tributes for the late star have flooded the internet in the wake of the tragic news of his passing.
The 65-year-old actor died yesterday, April 1, having experienced a string of health issues over the past decade. Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes revealed to the New York Times that his cause of death was pneumonia.
Actor Josh Brolin wrote on social media: “You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker. There’s not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there. Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts.”
Josh Gad, meanwhile, wrote: “RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood. You truly were an icon.”
Rest in peace, Val Kilmer!
