The Late Great Val Kilmer Denied His Throat Cancer Diagnosis for Several Years

Anyone who knows the name Val Kilmer is likely to remember him from iconic roles in films like Top Gun, Batman Forever, and Real Genius. Over the years, though, he gradually faded from the limelight, only resurfacing occasionally for interviews to promote projects like his memoir I'm Your Huckleberry, his documentary Val, or to discuss his career.

One of the hardest challenges the legendary actor faced for years was his battle with throat cancer. Though he eventually shared that he was cancer-free, the lasting effects of the illness stayed with him until his death on April 1, 2025.

In his later years, Val's voice had changed significantly, and he relied on a feeding tube directly connected to his stomach. This left many wondering how he had developed throat cancer in the first place.

In January 2015, Val Kilmer was hospitalized for what his representative described as tests for a potential tumor. Val initially denied these reports, stating via Facebook, "I have not had a tumor, or a tumor operations, or any operation. I had a complication where the best way to receive care was to stay under the watchful eye of the UCLA ICU."

However, in April 2017, Val revealed that he had experienced a "healing of cancer."

Later that year, in December, The Hollywood Reporter published an interview in which Val shared the details of his two-year battle with throat cancer. He explained that a procedure on his trachea had left his voice raspy and made him short of breath — and to speak, Val used an electric voice box plugged into his trachea.

By 2020, Val announced that he had been cancer-free for four years, though he continued to face challenges from medical treatments, including the use of a feeding tube.

He even mentioned on Good Morning America that he missed his old voice and jokingly compared his laughter to that of a pirate. Still, he remained positive about his health: "I feel a lot better than I sound," he said. "I feel wonderful."

Many factors can contribute to throat cancer, and there's no single cause for it. Val never specifically stated how he developed throat cancer, but he did mention one particular bad habit from his youth that may have played a role.

According to an April 2020 report from The Daily Mail, Val started smoking heavily at an extremely young age. The outlet even released that at just 8 years old, Val would take his uncle's cigarettes and sneak off to a treehouse to smoke them.

Most people know that smoking is a major risk factor for throat cancer — it's actually one of the leading causes. Smoking tobacco exposes the throat to harmful chemicals, which can damage cells in the lining of the throat, leading to mutations that may eventually result in cancer. The longer and more often someone smokes, the higher their risk.

For Val Kilmer, this risk became a painful reality. Though he never directly linked his throat cancer to smoking, he struggled with the habit for many years. While smoking may not be the only factor in his diagnosis, it could have contributed to his battle.