What's Really Going On With Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer has clearly been going through something. While he was once a red carpet staple, the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang star, who turned 58 in 2017, has flown under the radar for years, very rarely ever emerging in public. And, on the occasions when he does, he's often very covered up, layering with scarves, bandanas, and hats. But why? Though his alleged health scares have made headlines in recent years, the actor has denied that there's anything wrong. Still, we can't help but believe that something's up with Kilmer.

Though his health largely remains the presumed reason he's been M.I.A. in the media, there are a number of other odd factors influencing both Kilmer's unusual behavior and his fade from fame. From off-putting personal beliefs to family emergencies, the guy has had a lot happening. Still, he's managed to continue on with his life, even adopting an interesting new hobby in the process. Keep reading to find out what exactly has been going on with Kilmer lately.

In September 2014, a noticeably leaner Val Kilmer was photographed strolling on the beach in Malibu, Calif. Sources told TMZ that the Top Gun (1986) star noticed that he had let himself go in terms of weight. According to the gossip rag, Kilmer decided to start taking regular walks to shed the extra pounds rather than pop any diet pills.

At the time, there was no indication that the actor may have been ill. In fact, many outlets remarked that he had looked better than he had in years.

Still, it wouldn't be like Hollywood if Kilmer's dramatic weight loss didn't have its haters. Kilmer took to Facebook months later and took aim at his critics. "Can't win in this crazy town," he wrote. "Too heavy for too many years and now gossip says, too thin!"

He also revealed that his slimmer physique was due to preparation for his role as Mark Twain in a film he wrote and will direct. He explained, "Mark Twain was a thin man, and finally after the usual amount of effort, I'm thin again too. Perfect health."

In December 2014, people began to notice that Kilmer had seemingly lost even more weight. Radar Online posted several photos of the actor looking thinner than he had in years. This was also the first of several sightings of the Willow (1988) star covering up his neck area. He was photographed numerous times over the ensuing months with his neck obscured by scarves or high collars.

In June 2015, Kilmer insisted his increasingly large collection of bandannas and scarves was not a means to cover up any serious ailments. "I should mention I do not have cancer or a tumor. There has been a swelling that I have covered during this period of recovery from a procedure I had done which was not an operation on this area," he wrote on Facebook. "But I didn't want to create an opportunity for exploitive [sic] press to generate a story like what apparently now exists. I imagine I'm going to keep wearing scarfs [sic] till the swelling goes down, even though it's a silly look for LA SUMMER! Or LA EVER!"

In late January 2015, Kilmer was hospitalized. TMZ reported that paramedics rushed to the actor's home after someone called 911, stating that he'd been bleeding from his throat. Kilmer reportedly underwent surgery at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, Calif. A rep for the actor released a statement saying Kilmer was undergoing tests for a possible tumor, doctors were optimistic about his prognosis, and he was being cared for by his two adult children.

Kilmer disputed his own rep's statement, writing on 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. Friends have assisted who know my spiritual convictions and have been most sensitive and kind for the extra effort in making sure there's minimum gossip and silly talk."

However, Kilmer did admit he had been hospitalized, adding, "Thank you all for your prayers, love and support. I'm so happy to say, the emergency that lead me to dial 911 is well over and I'm out of the hospital and in a safe healing environment. The doctors and nurses I met were wonderful and very respectful of my spiritual priorities and I can't thank you all enough for your professionalism and genuine care." The actor also tweeted a photo on his way home from the hospital in which he sported a high-necked hoodie and a big smile with the caption, "FREEDOM!"

Nine months after Kilmer was hospitalized for the aforementioned throat issue, Radar Online reported that he was admitted once again in late October 2015. A source told the tabloid that "Kilmer could barely speak" and "had a tracheostomy tube, IVs, and several other machine hookups trailing from his body" while he was in the intensive care unit.

Kilmer denied those reports, writing on Facebook, "Thank you all for your love and support. There's a rumor I'm unwell again and in hospital which is totally untrue. I was in to verify I have no tumor or infection of any kind which was verified by the very caring experts at UCLA."

In December 2015, a source told the National Enquirer that Kilmer was reluctant to seek medical treatment for his health problems. "Val 'talks' to the illness, and meditates on it," the insider said. "He's been putting up a great battle, [but] he's wasting away!"

In January 2016, a source close to Kilmer told Radar Online the actor was able to ditch the tracheostomy device he'd been wearing. "Val is telling friends that doctors believe they've gotten it," but added that Kilmer "speaks in a whisper and can't really talk. He actually looked pretty good—sturdy and not particularly frail." The insider added, "Val's whole mouth is wired up and he has a small whitish square on his throat near his Adam's apple where the surgery was." A famous pal reportedly came to his aid. The source told Radar, "Val is telling friends how Cher has been a huge help and a friend to him throughout this experience."

In February 2016, People reported Kilmer had stepped out without the device and even showed off a mostly-bare neck for the first time in more than a year.

In February 2015, TMZ reported that Kilmer knew about his alleged tumor since the summer of 2014, but due to his strict Christian Scientist beliefs, opted to treat it solely with prayer and meditation. The tab alleged those close to Kilmer urged him to seek medical attention, but he'd supposedly cut them out of his life for pressuring him to see a doctor. Sources also claimed Kilmer wouldn't admit to being in pain because he viewed it as questioning his faith.

Kilmer's mother, Gladys Leach, told the National Enquirer in July 2016 that Kilmer did, in fact, have cancer in his throat but was "miraculously healed through Christian Scientist treatments."

After his throat cancer magically disappeared, Kilmer started his acting career back up by taking on several roles — and he wasn't afraid to undergo serious transformations in an effort to find success on the silver screen. In July 2016, he showed off a newly toned body on the set of the 2017 thriller The Super, posting photos of himself at work. But his role as Walter in the movie wasn't the only gig he'd booked.

According to IMDb, he has two films slated to debut in 2018: the crime drama Riptide, which co-stars Mira Sorvino and Chace Crawford, and comedy 1st Born. He also has a little too enthusiastically expressed interest in the upcoming Top Gun sequel. For those unfamiliar, Kilmer starred as Iceman in the original 1986 action classic.

As previously noted, Kilmer has also been cast as writer Mark Twain in the upcoming film Mark Twain and Mary Baker Eddy.

Actor Michael Douglas, a close friend of Kilmer's who himself beat oral cancer in 2013, told The Sun in October 2016 that, "Val was a wonderful guy who is dealing with exactly what I had, and things don't look too good for him. My prayers are with him. That's why you haven't heard too much from Val lately."

Kilmer denied Douglas' claims, though he made it clear he wasn't upset with his pal. "I love Michael Douglas but he is misinformed," Kilmer wrote on Facebook. "The last time I spoke to him was almost two years ago, when I asked him for a referral for a specialist to get a diagnosis for a lump in my throat...I ended up using a team at UCLA and have no cancer whatsoever. I still have a swollen tongue and am rehabbing steadily...Some fans have mistakenly thought my silence about my personal issues meant that somehow I wasn't being responsible to my health, because of my reliance on prayer and love. Nothing could be further from the truth. I hope this puts to rest any further concerns about my health by publications that have no respect for the truth. Whatever led Michael Douglas to speculate about my health, he's a loving and devoted friend to a privileged group of talent [sic] people around the world, and I'm sure he meant no harm."

Kilmer was forced to cancel a tour after his tongue swelled so much that he had trouble speaking in November 2016.

Radar Online reported the actor had to bail on a performance of his one-man play, Citizen Twain, after his speech became slurred. "I went into rehearsals down in Florida and I started having trouble with my speech," the Batman Forever (1995) star told the audience at a screening of Citizen Twain in Los Angeles on Nov. 10, 2016. "Obviously I'm still recovering from it. My tongue swelled up and I canceled the tour...As I'm recovering I'm showing a movie so I don't have to talk. It's fun, I've been enjoying myself."

Kilmer addressed the issue on Facebook after the screening, writing, "I'm celebrating my health in public and sharing my best work with my community during these emotional times, and yet the press wrote last week was that I was 'denying the rumors of my illness...' I'm still recovering my voice but I was raging in Pasadena when we filmed my play in 2013."

After a video of Kilmer struggling to speak at an event on Feb. 9, 2017 was published online, the actor took to his Facebook to clarify what was going on. "Sorry to bore most of you who know I'm healthy, but there's more lies in the press that say I'm ill because I mentioned at my show I was doing speech therapy," he said. "That is perfectly normal for any entertainer who uses their mouth all day long. It's like saying Federer is 'ill' because he has tennis elbow. He's not ill. He just has to rehab his elbow. All this negative story line does is sell more tickets to my show and upset my mother...And needless to say it upsets my children who know I'm well."

Despite having originally dismissed all reports that he'd been diagnosed with throat cancer as false — and denying pal Michael Douglas' claims that he was seriously ill — Val Kilmer eventually got real. But surprisingly, rather than address the rumors in an interview, he instead decided to dish out the truth online to strangers.

In late April 2017, Kilmer finally admitted, after years of dodges and denials, that he was recovering from cancer via a Reddit AMA. When a fan asked about Douglas' allegations that Kilmer had cancer, the Batman Forever star replied, "He 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 altho healing all the time." In an obvious attempt to convince fans that he was okay, Kilmer noted, "Because I don't sound my normal self yet people think I may still be under the weather."

The Hollywood Reporter noted that during its December 2017 interview with Kilmer (seen here in December 2017 with artist Tracey Emin,) the actor admitted he had undergone chemotherapy. Kilmer was reportedly short of breath often and his voice had been "reduced to a rasp."

In October 2017, Kilmer was photographed (via Radar Online) being pushed through LAX in a wheelchair with his head obscured by a blanket.

A source told Radar Online in December 2017, "[Kilmer is] a strong character, but sadly it doesn't seem like he's got a lot of fight left in him."

There are few things worse than receiving a life-threatening diagnosis from your doctor — but one of those things is certainly having your child involved in a major car collision. Unfortunately, that's just what Val Kilmer experienced. Almost immediately after Kilmer's docs determined he had throat cancer, Kilmer's daughter, Mercedes (seen here in November 2012) was injured in a serious vehicular accident, and the crash left Kilmer's kiddo with a permanent reminder of the scary ordeal: a large scar down one leg.

"We were in the same hospital at the same time," she told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published in December 2017.

As to be expected, Mercedes' accident and Kilmer's major health scare took a big toll on the family. In the same THR piece, Kilmer's son, Jack, shared, "I was just, you know, miserable, distraught, sitting next to these two." Fortunately for the Kilmers, the actor and his daughter eventually returned home to recover.

Kilmer told The Hollywood Reporter that his diagnosis and recovery changed his outlook on not just fame and acting, but also on the rest of his life. 

"I was too serious [when I was at peak fame]. I'd get upset when things like Oscars and recognition failed to come my way," he said, while admitting that critical recognition was still something he craved at times. "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."

Everyone needs a hobby, especially when one's going through a life-altering health battle. So, in an apparent effort to cope with his presumably high stress level, Val Kilmer took up some new activities. A source told Radar Online that Kilmer was using art to take his mind off of his health issues. "He's drowning his sorrows in paints and brushes, stencils and metals and sculptures," the source said, adding, "His style is described as contemporary abstract and colorful pop art."

But Kilmer's newfound passion for art does more than help him combat any worries that he may have. Kilmer's art also reportedly allows the actor to express himself, as he allegedly struggled to speak articulately since battling cancer. As Radar Online's insider revealed, "It's a way for him to get through the day without talking since his voice is a thick inaudible rasp."

Kilmer isn't keeping his artwork to himself, however. He's also sharing it with the public. As reported by W magazine, Kilmer opened an first New York exhibit, "VALHOLLA," in June 2017.

Sometimes tragedies bring people closer together. And that's just what appeared to happen to Val Kilmer and his family. The actor had long been estranged from his older brother, Mark, before his cancer diagnosis. Their strained relationship was, in part, due to a disagreement about personal beliefs. Given that Mark is a clinical psychologist who presumably believes in science and medicine, he reportedly didn't see eye to eye with his brother who strongly supports Christian Science practices.

However, the two siblings have since reportedly made amends, following Kilmer's throat cancer battle. In December 2017, a source told Radar Online that the brothers have avoided discussing their differing views "because their relationship wasn't great for years," and have worked toward having a closer relationship together.

The insider noted, "They've finally got things back on track just as [Kilmer's health is] fading." While he and Mark may still be patching up their relationship, Kilmer can likely still find comfort in knowing that his big bro has his back.