Val Kilmer Opens Up About 2-Year Battle With Throat Cancer

Val Kilmer recently opened up about his two-year battle with throat cancer.

While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Kilmer admitted that a procedure on his trachea has caused his voice to sound raspier, and he has also become short of breath.

The award-winning actor admitted that throat cancer took its toll on him, but it was his faith that helped me get through it. Shortly after Kilmer’s diagnosis, his daughter, Mercedes Kilmer, got into an accident, and the two of them spent a couple of days in the same hospital.

Kilmer’s son, Jack Kilmer, was distraught over the incident because two of the people he loved the most were recovering at the facility. “I was just, you know, miserable, distraught, sitting next to these two,” Jack said.

Meanwhile, Kilmer also talked about his career in the industry and said that he used to be too serious about things especially with regards to getting recognitions.

“I was too serious. I’d get upset when things like Oscars and recognition failed to come my way. I would like to have more Oscars than anybody. Meryl Streep must feel pretty good, you know? It must feel nice to know that everyone loves her. It’s about being loved,” he said.

But these days, Kilmer has learned how to make light of things and live more positively than before.

Meanwhile in 2016, Michael Douglas revealed that Kilmer was still battling throat cancer, but Kilmer denied that this was still the case. During a Q&A session on Reddit, one fan also asked Kilmer regarding Douglas’ revelation.

“Douglas was probably trying to help me ‘cause press probably asked where I was these days and I did have a healing of cancer, but my tongue is still swollen although healing all the time. Because I don’t sound my normal self yet people think I may still be under the weather,” he explained (via People).

Kilmer also revealed that Douglas apologized to him thereafter, but he said that he understood that his co-star meant well. “Michael Douglas wrote me a nice note apologizing for suggesting to the press overseas I wasn’t doing well,” Kilmer wrote on Facebook.