The 'Top Gun' actor, whose voice is reduced to a barely audible rasp, makes an appearance at the Novus Summit to collect an award for his work with the TwainMania Foundation.
- July 24, 2019
AceShowbiz - Val Kilmer accepted an award at the United Nations (UN) in New York and gave a first public speech since his battle with throat cancer.
The "Top Gun" star, 59, appeared at the Novus Summit at the UN on Saturday (July 20), and collected an award for his work with the TwainMania Foundation, created to educate children on author Mark Twain's legacy.
Video published on the uInterview YouTube channel showed Kilmer speaking in a barely audible rasp with his hand to a scarf on his throat, but praising "programmes around the world."
Kilmer initially denied he was battling cancer, but revealed his fight with the illness to The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, confirming he had a procedure on his trachea that has reduced his voice to a rasp and leaves him short of breath.
Despite his health battles, the actor is confirmed as returning to join Tom Cruise in a sequel to their iconic 1986 movie "Top Gun", in which he played flying ace Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, the rival to Cruise's lead, Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell.
The "Mission: Impossible" star surprised fans by revealing the first full trailer for the film at Comic-Con in San Diego, California last week (end July 21), although Iceman didn't appear in any footage.
However, Kilmer confirmed he had a ball working with his old foil in the new film, telling THR back in February, "It will be a great film, I promise. This time around had me laughing with Tom like a high schooler. He's so funny. I hope he's saved the world enough to take a decade and re-establish himself as a great comedian as he has it in him."
The sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick", is out next June (20).
