Val Kilmer was the leading man for a certain generation. The actor turned hit after hit with films like “Tombstone,” “Willow,” and “Top Gun.” But the actor is preparing to release his most poignant and daring project yet.
The documentary “Val” will chronicle Kilmer’s battle and grueling recovery from cancer. In 2015, the actor learned that he had throat cancer. That diagnosis kick-started a fight for Kilmer’s life. In recent years, the actor had to undergo multiple tracheotomies. The surgery left Kilmer both unable to barely speak and eat as well. Instead, the actor reportedly uses a feeding tube.
Before the documentary’s release, Kilmer’s children Jack and Mercedes opened up about their father. They gave a candid look into the actor’s battle over the past few years. As he receded from the limelight, Kilmer faced an uphill battle to being healthy. But his daughter Mercedes promises that her father is on the mend, even if he still faces his challenges.
According to Mercedes, the recovery process for Kilmer has been just as exhausting and damaging as the throat cancer he had.
“He’s doing well,” Mercedes said of her father’s recovery. “The recovery process is just as grueling as the actual disease.”
Val Kilmer’s Life And Story
Val Kilmer and his family have appreciated fans for reaching out and showing their support. They said it’s been important to them during this trying time in their lives.
“Everyone has been so supportive; it makes me emotional,” Jack Kilmer said. “It’s really beautiful to see people come together.”
But fans shouldn’t expect “Val” to be a dour affair. Instead, Kilmer’s children said the documentary will explore the highs just as much as the lows. That’s thanks in part to Kilmer’s penchant for home movies. He enjoyed filming his children growing up as they went through various milestones. The documentary will capture the happy moments they shared together.
“We were cracking up [during] a lot of it,” Mercedes said. She revealed that the documentary allowed them to see some of these home movies for the first time ever. “It was very exciting.”
Kilmer also chose to continue to film his life during his battle with cancer. Fans should probably expect some waterworks as the documentary gets candid about the challenges the actor faced. Kilmer’s daughter said her father felt the need to document moments in his life. In fact, the movie has been 50 years in the making.
“And then they realized they have this archive, and that’s how the film this film came about,” she explained. “But my dad’s been making this movie for 50 years. He’s always elevating mundane moments of life into this heightened type of theater.”
According to Kilmer’s son, the actor just loves and appreciates life.
“He’s just a monster of life and he loves life so much,” Jack said. “He has to document everything because he can’t be stopped.”
