As Kilmer himself said in his 2020 memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, “He was Tom Maverick, but Maverick’s opponent was the Snowman. The two went together like salt and pepper.” But when news started spreading in 2015 that a sequel to Top Gun was on the way, the actor was at the start of a devastating battle with throat cancer that would steal his voice and leave him with a thin rasp and breathing problems. Kilmer is now cancer-free and has struggled to be able to “talk” again, with the help of some unusual new technology. He also publicly admitted how hard his battles were to make sure he was there on screen versus Cruz again. And now, finally, the actor can speak frankly about his overwhelming feelings because he’s back where he belongs. Warning: a small spoiler about the role of KILMER in TOP GUN MAVERICK
Top Gun: Maverick premiered in Cannes this week to exceptional reviews, with Kilmer’s return featuring prominently in the praise.
The star’s personal struggles on screen are honored in a powerful and poignant way. His character Tom Kazansky, aka Iceman, is now an admiral and commander of the US Pacific Fleet. Despite all the macho attitudes and rivalry in the first movie, Iceman is now Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick, the strongest supporter and the one who protects his position when others want him removed. He recommends Maverick for a new recruit training role for combat pilots that the entire movie is about.
The movie includes an animated scene where the two meet at the snowman’s house. It is clear that he is very ill, and he has to communicate mainly through a computer. In real life, science fiction technology has also helped the star get his voice back.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed Cruz’s commitment: “He said, ‘I’m not making this movie without Val. When we filmed it, it was a very emotional day, with Val being there and seeing him working with Tom 35 years later.”
At the London Royal Premiere, Cruz said, “He’s an actor I respect a lot, so it was great.”
Kilmer’s daughter, Mercedes, 30, revealed how deeply her dad felt to be involved: “It means a lot to my dad, because he’s so proud of this movie. It’s what he loves to do. It was great, and so special, for my dad to be in a place with all his friends who made this.” the movie when they were my age.”
In real life, Kilmer’s cancer battle saw him collapse into a pool of blood at the home of his ex-girlfriend Cher.
Although they separated in the mid-1980s, they remained close, and when Kilmer collapsed in 2015 and was diagnosed with throat cancer, he found himself struggling to pay huge medical bills.
He said, “Cher stepped in and went up… Once Cher made her way inside your head and heart, she never left.”
Cher herself recalls, “He was in my house a lot of the time. He was sick. He was brave the whole time. I saw how sick he was.”
Treatments and surgeries through his throat and windpipe permanently damaged the star’s voice. He covers scars in public with scarves and collars, but he’s found a new way to talk.
The 2021 documentary Val told his remarkable story, with his son Jack expressing his thoughts. However, the actor also helped pioneer a new AI technology with Sonantic.
Kilmer made a video with the leading tech pioneers, explaining their work: “I had laryngeal cancer. After I received treatment, my voice as I knew it took away from me. People around me struggle to understand me when I’m speaking.” But despite it all I still feel like the exact same person.”
The company took multiple archival audio recordings and created an artificial intelligence version that allows the actor to speak freely and clearly.
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