Val Kilmer Continues Soaring With 'Top Gun: Maverick'
- Throat cancer survivor and actor Val Kilmer is thriving after “Top Gun: Maverick” made $1.453 billion at the global box office this summer and became the highest-grossing film of this year.
- The film is set to remain in theaters and is available for purchase on digital platforms such as Amazon Video and Apple TV for $20. And Paramount Home Entertainment will offer Top Gun: Maverick on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and DVD starting November 1, 2022.
- Throat cancer is a type of head and neck cancer where cancerous cells begin in the throat, voice box or tonsils. Some of the main risk factors for this disease include smoking, drinking alcohol, a diet lacking in fruits or vegetables, acid reflux disease and the human papillomavirus (HPV). So, one way to decrease the chances of developing the disease is to get the HPV vaccine.
Since the movie’s May 27 release, the movie has made $1.453 billion at the global box office and is now the highest-grossing film of this year, according to Forbes.
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"Forget the fact that thirty years had passed since I'd seen the ghost of Iceman's dad. I remembered it like it was yesterday," he wrote. "The producers went for it. Cruise went for it. Cruise couldn't have been cooler. And the next thing I knew I was back, as the Beatles said, where I 'once belonged.' Tom and I took up where we left off. The reunion felt great."
Val Kilmer's Cancer Journey
Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2015 but didn't speak publicly about the disease until 2017. He wasn't considering conventional treatment at first, thinking his Christian Science faith would heal the tumors, but he eventually agreed to undergo chemotherapy for the sake of his children Mercedes, 30, and Jack, 27, whom he had with his ex-wife, English actress Joanne Whalley, 61.
Kilmer also underwent a tracheotomy a surgical procedure that connects the windpipe to a hole in the front of the neck which greatly impacted his speaking voice. However, Kilmer continued acting as filmmakers were able to help give Iceman a voice again thanks to artificial intelligence technology that used samples of him speaking to recreate his signature speech patterns.
Get the Facts HPV Can Cause Cancer in Men Too
And though he originally kept his cancer battle out of the public eye, Kilmer eventually shared more about his journey through interviews, his autobiography, I'm Your Huckleberry, and his documentary, Val, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
"I have been healed of cancer for over four years now, and there has never been any recurrence," he wrote in I'm Your Huckleberry. "I am so grateful."
What To Know About Throat Cancer
Throat cancer is a type of head and neck cancer where cancerous cells begin in the throat, voice box or tonsils. Some of the main risk factors for this disease include smoking, drinking alcohol, a diet lacking in fruits or vegetables, acid reflux disease and the human papillomavirus (HPV). So, one way to decrease the chances of developing the disease is to get the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine is recommended for boys and girls between ages 9 and 12, but teens and young adults through age 26 who are not already vaccinated should get the HPV vaccine as soon as possible. Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, explains the link between throat cancer and HPV in a previous interview with SurvivorNet.
"There are no screening guidelines to screen for throat cancer, unlike cervical cancer with pap smears. And there are no standard tests to determine if you harbor the (HPV) virus," she said. "However, there is no concern that you're going to spread this cancer to your partner or to anyone else, because at this point your partner has already been exposed to the virus and likely cleared it."
There's no annual screening for throat cancer, so doctors usually discover the disease when a patient sees them with symptoms that may point to it. Some symptoms include:
- A cough
- Changes in your voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Ear pain
- A lump or sore that doesn't heal
- A sore throat
- Weight loss
It's important to note, however, that these symptoms are not exclusive to throat cancer. Still, you should always see a doctor if you have any changes to your health.
Turning To Art While Battling Cancer
According to Roswell Park Cancer Center, an art exhibition last year provided some important data that may help those battling cancer and their emotional well-being. Researchers grouped patients into two separate groups of those who viewed the exhibition and those who didn't, and found that those who were exposed to art claimed to have more hope and less anxiety following the exhibition.
Taking this evidence into consideration, art therapy is a resource that more patients may consider in order to prioritize their emotional well-being, which is a critical step in a cancer journey. This was the case for Top Gun star Val Kilmer, who started painting and drawing during his battle with throat cancer.
Last month, Kilmer shared the final piece of his limiest series collection of abstract prints on social media.
He captioned the Instagram post, “Thank you to all who have a little piece of my heart and soul in your home. When you find that special forever placement of your new artwork in your home please share a picture and tag me! I hope it brings as much joy to your life as it has to mine.”
Kilmer also recently actioned off some of his fine art in a limited supply sale which concluded on October 1.
My Fine Art Work on sale today at 3:30! Click👇 to bid on auctions, open editions & a special drawing! 🚨Limited supply sale ends in one week on 10/1 🚨❤️ click 👇https://t.co/RMOhXHlQrs Collabs w/ @TomerPeretzart @RemoCamero @LaurenceFuller @KampKilmer @niftygateway pic.twitter.com/E2PxXKGDEb
— Val Kilmer (@valkilmer) September 24, 2022
But the actor isn't the only cancer warrior who has turned to art during tough moments in his cancer battle. In addition to easing anxiety, creative outlets can also serve as a way for people to share everything they're feeling in order to cope. This was the case for three-time cancer survivor Marianne Cuozzo.
Cuozzo was first diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in 1994 at age 28 and experienced a reoccurrence in 1997. Then, in 2014, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy for treatment. While battling cancer for nearly a decade, Cuozzo told SurvivorNet that she was able to cope during treatment by embracing her creative side and express her emotions through her art when she felt overwhelmed.
"I'd go in the studio, and I had these huge pieces of charcoal," Cuozzo previously told SurvivorNet. "And I would do these really angry charcoal drawings, and I'd roll them up and stuff them under the couch. No one was meant to see them because it was just for me and, my cathartic getting out my anger…My artwork is very reflective of my cancer journey."
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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