VAL KILMER revealed how he was left using an electronic voice box and was fed by a tube after bravely battling cancer before his death aged 65.
The legendary actor began his throat cancer fight in 2014 and later underwent chemotherapy, radiation treatment and surgery.
The harrowing battle forced him to step back from the Hollywood spotlight, having made his final public red carpet appearance in 2019.
After undergoing both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the star also had a tracheostomy in 2015 to help him breathe.
This procedure permanently damaged the iconic actor's vocal cords and left his voice forever altered.
Kilmer would cover his neck in a scarf following the surgery, and he revealed he had to use an electric voice box on the artificial hole in his throat in order to speak.
In a candid Amazon Prime documentary entitled Val, the Top Gun and Batman Forever star said: "I obviously am sounding much worse than I feel.
"I can't speak without plugging this hole [in his throat]."
Voice boxes are devices, typically battery-operated, that produce sound to imitate a voice.
They are often used to help those suffering from throat cancer to be able to communicate.
And his vocal troubles ended up with Val's final film appearence in Top Gun: Maverick being assists with AI.
His voice was recreated in a computer as his character "Iceman" had a final scene with his rival "Maverick", played Tom Cruise.
It comes as…
- Val Kilmer tragically died after a long battle with his health
- Tributes have poured in for the Hollywood icon
- His haunting last post showed him having fun with a Batman mask
- Val's final film scene saw him reprise his iconic 'Iceman' role
- He leaves behind his children Mercedes & Jack and his ex-wife filmstar Joanne Whalley
The actor faced numerous other challenges in his health battle, including having meals given to him through a feeding tube.
He said: "You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat. It's an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me."
The legendary actor had initially kept his cancer diagnosis secret before revealing his struggles in the 2021 documentary.
Kilmer can be seen speaking on camera using the voice box in footage he shot of himself both at home and behind the scenes on a number of his acting projects.
He had previously explained how he was unaware of his throat cancer until he coughed up "coagulated blood" one day.
The star manged to call for an ambulance before passing out and later woke up in a Santa Monica hospital after having an emergency tracheotomy.
In an interview with Good Morning America in 2020, Kilmer said he had "healed very quickly", following his throat cancer diagnosis.
'LAUGH LIKE PIRATE'
The actor even held his hand to his throat, explaining the procedure he had gone through in order to help him breathe.
When asked what he missed most about his voice, Kilmer joked about how he "didn't laugh like a pirate" before undergoing the surgery.
The star passed away in Los Angeles on Tuesday aged 65 after suffering from pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes confirmed.
Kilmer became a household name when he played fighter pilot Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise.
After finding success on the beloved classic, Kilmer went on to play his biggest role as Batman in Batman Forever.
In the 1995 superhero flick he took on Jim Carrey as The Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face.
Kilmer had huge roles in True Romance, Heat and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and also played musician Jim Morrison in the 1991 film The Doors.
The American's incredible spell of Hollywood blockbusters in the 80s and 90s made him one of the highest paid stars of that generation.
His daughter, 33, told the New York Times her father died surrounded by his family and friends.
Kilmer's final career role saw him return to the Top Gun franchise where he first found global success.
Thirty six years after playing the "Iceman", he made a brief cameo in the film's 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Aside from Mercedes, 33, he is also survived by son Jack Kilmer, 29.
Kilmer was married to his children's mum Joanne from 1988 until 1996.
'TRULY AN ICON'
Across his glittering career he also had relationships with Hollywood stars including Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie, Carly Simon and Cher.
Tributes have already started to pour in for Kilmer.
Fellow actor Josh Gad said he was "an icon".
On Instagram Gad said: "RIP Val Kilmer. Thank you for defining so many of the movies of my childhood.
"You truly were an icon."
The official Top Gun X account also posted: "Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman."
Val's final role
THIS is the moment Val Kilmer stars in his final ever film role after returning to the Top Gun franchise alongside Tom Cruise.
The Batman and Heat star passed away from pneumonia at the age of 65 on Tuesday after almost four decades in Hollywood.
Kilmer became a household name when he played fighter pilot Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in Top Gun alongside Cruise in 1986.
Both actors played two of the best pilots in the Top Gun Navy programme in the film as the pair shared a competitive rivalry.
The Iceman was a straight-laced aviator who was an expert in his field and had perfectly developed his skills to make it to the top.
Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell was a pilot who risked it all every time and was known as a confident and cheeky aviator who wasn't afraid to step on any toes.
Thirty six years after their first roles in the action drama, both men returned to the Top Gun franchise in 2022.
Cruise played the titular role in the sequel Top Gun: Maverick as Kilmer reprised his role with a brief cameo.
He had to bravely fight to return to the big screen as the Iceman after almost a decade battling with serious health issues.
Goonies and Avengers star Josh Brolin also posted a touching tribute to his close friend alongside a snap of the pair smiling.
It read: "See ya, pal. I'm going to miss you. You were a smart, challenging, brave, uber-creative firecracker.
"There's not a lot left of those. I hope to see you up there in the heavens when I eventually get there.
"Until then, amazing memories, lovely thoughts."
A haunting final post on Kilmer's Instagram saw him share a collection of videos, paintings and images dedicated to Batman.
Taken less than two months before his death, a short clip shows Kilmer talking to his fans before holding up a customised Batman mask.
He starts to put on the iconic piece of Hollywood history as he jokes: "It's been a while."
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