Val Kilmer history of health issues explored as Batman star passes away at 65 

Actor Val Kilmer, who starred in films like Batman Forever, Top Gun, and The Doors, passed away at age 65. Citing his daughter Mercedes Kilmer, the New York Times reported that he died on Tuesday, April 01, 2025, due to pneumonia.

Kilmer grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. He trained at the Juilliard School in New York, the youngest person at the time to be accepted into the institution. He rose to fame in the 1980s playing Nick Rivers in the spy comedy Top Secret! (1984) and naval aviator "Iceman" alongside Tom Cruise in Top Gun (1986).

Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise on the set of Top Gun - Source: Getty

Some of the actor's other notable films include The Doors (1991), True Romance (1993), Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), Tombstone (1993), Twixt (2011), and Heat (1995). It is worth noting that Val Kilmer reprised his role as Iceman alongside Cruise in 2022's Top Gun: Maverick, his final film.

In her statement to the NY Times, Mercedes revealed her father was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. But added that he recovered later.

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Val Kilmer initially kept his cancer diagnosis private

Val Kilmer is known to keep his private life out of the public eye. However, in January 2015, rumors of him being hospitalized for a throat tumor began circulating. At the time, TMZ reported that the actor allegedly underwent surgery after he began bleeding from the throat. A "rep" told the outlet that doctors were testing for a possible tumor.

Notably, according to TMZ in October 2014, Kilmer appeared before a small claims court over a dispute with his former landlord. At the time, he allegedly told the judge he was unable to speak as his tongue was swollen.

Soon after, the actor shared a statement on Facebook refuting claims that he had a tumor or underwent any operation. He added:

"I had a complication where the best way to receive care was to stay under the watchful eye of the ucla ICU."

A year later, around Halloween, his The Ghost and the Darkness co-star Michael Douglas, suggested the actor had cancer while speaking to Jonathan Ross during a Q&A in London. Douglas stated that Kilmer had not been in the public eye due to him "dealing with exactly what (Douglas) had." The producer was diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer in 2010 but declared cancer-free following treatment.

Val Kilmer again denied the claims in a statement posted on Facebook. He wrote that Douglas was "misinformed," adding that he had "no cancer whatsoever." The Top Gun star elaborated that they last spoke "almost two years ago" when he asked the producer for a "referral for a specialist" to diagnose a "lump in (his) throat."

In the post, Kilmer also addressed speculations surrounding his Christian Science faith, with many claiming the actor was ignoring his health over his beliefs. Notably, some followers of the said Church are known to avoid medical treatment in favor of prayer. Citing his statement, Variety wrote:

"Some fans have mistakenly thought my silence about my personal issues meant that somehow I wasn’t being responsible to my health. Nothing could be further from the truth."

However, during an AMA (ask me anything) session on Reddit a year later, he confessed to having a "healing of cancer." He did not elaborate on the details surrounding the diagnosis.

A question shared during Val Kilmer's AMA (Image via Reddit u/OfficialValkilmer)

In December of the same year, Val Kilmer interviewed with The Hollywood Reporter, where he opened up about the disease. During the conversation, the Batman Forever star revealed he had been battling cancer for two years. This included undergoing chemotherapy and a procedure on his trachea, which affected his voice and frequently left him short of breath.

Kilmer also confessed that the diagnosis changed his outlook on life, stating:

"I was too serious," adding, "I’d get upset when things like Oscars and recognition failed to come my way."

In April 2020, the actor published his autobiography, I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir, where he revealed he was at Cher's place when he woke up "vomiting blood" and "called 911." He continued to write that the cancer "miraculously healed much faster" than doctors predicted, but added:

"It has taken time, and taken a toll... Speaking, once my joy and lifeblood, has become an hourly struggle."

Elsewhere in the memoir, the actor revealed he had been cancer-free for over four years.

In his May 2020 conversation with The New York Times, Val Kilmer confessed he initially planned on finding a way to heal himself working with a practitioner (think spiritual advisor). But his kids convinced him otherwise, adding:

"I just didn’t want to experience their fear, which was profound. I would’ve had to go away, and I just didn’t want to be without them."

In the same interview, the actor noted that his faith and prayer were what cured him, while his "treatment" caused him "suffering." He was referring to his surgery and chemotherapy that left him with a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube.

In August, while interviewing with Good Morning America, Kilmer quipped that he felt a lot better than he sounded. Val Kilmer explained that speaking was just like any other challenge, stating:

"It's just like any other language or dialect. 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 actor also revealed that to talk, he had to put a finger to his throat near the tube aperture due to the surgeries.

In a 2021 documentary on his life, Val, produced by his children, Val Kilmer further detailed his cancer journey and his daily struggles.

According to People magazine, shortly after its release, Kilmer, with the help of London-based software company Sonantic, digitally recreated an AI version of his voice. While it was intended to be used in any future projects, it is worth noting that it was not used for Top Gun: Maverick, according to USA Today.

Since then, Val Kilmer has spent his time focusing on other creative projects, including art.

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Val Kilmer is survived by his children, Jack and Mercedes, whom he shared with ex-wife Joanne Whalley.