A new report reveals that Val Kilmer spent his final years bedridden. The Batman actor died on Tuesday at the age of 65 due to pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes told The New York Times the same day. She also noted that although Kilmer had been battling throat cancer since his diagnosis in 2015, he was cancer-free at the time of his death.
However, sources close to Kilmer's family told TMZ Wednesday that the effects of his cancer treatment had left him severely weakened and confined to bed "for years before his death." His body "simply couldn't keep fighting at the end," they explained, adding that "his body eventually shut down."
Immobile in His Final Years
Kilmer, best known for his iconic roles in "Top Gun" and "The Doors", was "very frail at the end of his life," and his death was not unexpected, according to family sources. Reports suggest that the actor was hospitalized earlier this year and was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital again last week, where loved ones gathered to visit him in his final moments.
Although a video of Kilmer wearing a Batman mask appeared on his Instagram in February, TMZ reports that the footage was actually filmed "years ago" and did not reflect his appearance in the months leading up to his death.
Kilmer's last public appearance was in 2019, when he attended the Thespians Go Hollywood Gala alongside his daughter, Mercedes, 33.
According to TMZ, Kilmer's children, Mercedes and Jack, 29, are currently making funeral arrangements.
The actor publicly confirmed his cancer diagnosis in 2017 and later shared personal insights into his health battle in his 2020 memoir, "I'm Your Huckleberry."
Seeing His Own Death
Recalling a terrifying moment, Kilmer wrote, "One night, I suddenly awoke vomiting blood that covered the bed like a scene out of 'The Godfather." At the time, he was staying in the guest house of his ex-girlfriend Cher, who had taken him in as his condition worsened.
"I prayed immediately, then called 911. Then alerted my hostess. Cher stepped in and stepped up."
During his fight against cancer, Kilmer underwent both radiation and chemotherapy treatments. He also had two tracheotomies, which involved creating an artificial opening in his neck to assist with breathing. These procedures caused permanent damage to his vocal cords, leaving him with a severely weakened voice.
By 2021, Kilmer announced that he was cancer-free.
"I can't speak without plugging this hole," he said in his 2021 documentary "Val," produced by Mercedes and Jack. "You have to make the choice to breathe or to eat," Kilmer added, referring to a feeding tube. "It's an obstacle that is very present with whoever sees me."
He continued, "I'm still recovering, and it is difficult to talk and to be understood. But I want to tell my story more than ever."
