Val Kilmer makes rare public appearance in New York just days after premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick' trailer
Val Kilmer, who played the iconic Lt. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in 1986's 'Top Gun,' was spotted taking a walk in downtown New York a few days after a trailer of its long awaited sequel, 'Top Gun: Maverick,' was released at the San Diego Comic-Con.
The 59-year-old was seen sporting a Clippers hat, jeans and what looked like a trachea breathing device.
In 2017, he announced that he was battling throat cancer and needed the aid of a breathing device. He did not seem to pay much attention to a fan on the street who captured him on video but smiled politely.
Rumors of his ill health have been circulating over the internet and Kilmer has made it a point to keep his Facebook page active as a means to stop fake news about his well-being.
Earlier this month, he wrote, "I guess there’s some rumor I’ve passed on but I’m alive and well friends."
In order to celebrate the trailer for the iconic 1986 'Top Gun' sequel, Kilmer shared a link to the video clip where he acknowledged his co-star Tom Cruise.
Kilmer had earlier been confirmed to return as Lt. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky. "You up for this one, Maverick?" he wrote. He didn't appear in the trailer, and it is yet to be seen how much screentime is devoted to him, given his recent health condition.
Cruise will be taking on his initial role from the original film and will be playing the reckless US Navy fighter pilot, Maverick. It was just last year that Tom Cruise had said that it was 'special' to be working with Kilmer again given it had been 32 years since the iconic movie.
'Top Gun: Maverick' has been scheduled for a 2020 release.
Kilmer, who is also a father of two, makes regular appearances at charity events and is active with his education foundation TwainMania. Recently, Kilmer was seen at an event at the United Nations headquarters on Saturday.
He was amongst a number of speakers who had appeared in the 2019 Novus Summit. The event looks at uniting the science, technology and innovation community around the world in the hope to achieve and gain sustainable development goals.