Val Kilmer Poses With L.A. Billboard
- Val Kilmer posted a photo to celebrate the release of the new documentary about his life, Val. He posed in front of a billboard in LA promoting the film.
- Kilmer, 61, shared details of his throat cancer battle and the tracheotomy that resulted in him using a voice box (electrolarynx speaking device) in the new documentary.
- “This is such a wonderful celebration. I'm so proud of this film,” Kilmer wrote.
The 61-year-old actor shared a snap on Instagram and Twitter that showed him posing in front of one of the documentary’s billboards in Los Angeles, writing: “Driving through LA I saw myself floating above the city. This is such a wonderful celebration. I'm so proud of this film and hope you'll allow me to share some of the most intimate, outstanding, and raw moments of my life. It's in theaters today.”
Read MoreDriving through LA I saw myself floating above the city. This is such a wonderful celebration. I'm so proud of this film and hope you'll allow me to share some of the most intimate, outstanding, and raw moments of my life. It's in theaters today. pic.twitter.com/vPYbcKvP7f
Val Kilmer (@valkilmer) July 23, 2021
Kilmer was outfitted with the device after he was diagnosed with throat cancer and had to undergo a tracheotomy to help him breath during his recovery.
His struggle adapting to the voice box is featured in the documentary and the recently released trailer, which also marked the first time many of Kilmer’s fans had heard him speak using the device.
The billboard Kilmer opted to snap a pic with was technically promoting the documentary’s release on Amazon next month, with the film first getting a brief run in theaters so as to qualify for the upcoming awards season.
Amazon acquired US and Latin American rights to the documentary back in May, prompting Kilmer to note how happy he was that the world would get a chance to see the film featuring a lifetime of footage captured by the actor.
The documentary is debuting to stellar reviews after a warm reception at the Cannes Film Festival.
“Val is a portrait of an actor who poured his all into his work. Only now can he see what it amounts to, and find some vindication in the truth that it was worth defending all along,” writes Stephanie Zacharek in Time.
Joe Morgenstern was even more effusive in his review in the Wall Street Journal.
“Exhaustive but not exhausting. On the contrary, the fuzzy footage provides fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses of Mr. Kilmer and his co-stars between takes on movie sets. And whatever he isn't able to say in his own voice, straight to this latest camera confronting him, he says in voice-over passages written by him and relayed with warmth and feeling by his son, Jack Kilmer, who is seen in the process of recording them. (The unspoken connection between father and son is ineffably moving.),” writes Morgenstern.
“The result is a documentary that keeps drawing you in, even when you think it's keeping you at a certain distance, a one-of-a-kind portrait of a one-of-a-kind artist who, through good times and dreadful ones, has remained devoted to his art.”
Finding The Rainbow: Staying Positive During Cancer Treatment
If you have just been diagnosed with cancer, negative feelings such as anger, shame, fear, and anxiety are often completely normal. Although it can be difficult, research shows that when patients have a positive attitude and are able to work through their emotions, they end up doing better during treatment.
Many cancer survivors who have spoken to SurvivorNet say they are able to remain positive despite receiving a cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer survivor Ashley Saaranen is one of those people. She has an absolutely contagious positive attitude, and she said she's able to stay so upbeat because of the amazing support system she has in her life.
After all was said and done, Saaranen said her advice to other people going through cancer is to simply believe in yourself. "You can do this," Saaranen said. "There are so many people around you that are here to help you and you just need to open yourself up and accept the help. Also, know that you're still going to be you, and life is gonna go on. Life is still really good."
Breast cancer survivor Ashley Saaranen shares advice to those battling cancer
Staying positive during cancer treatment is difficult in and of itself. However, when you’re faced with a diagnosis over the holiday season, it can be particularly challenging since people who are facing cancer may feel overwhelmed. Karen Ballou, a Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor, says focusing your mind on the positive things you have in your life can make a huge difference.
Karen decided to focus on the joy and the anticipation of getting better instead of the hardships she was facing. Of course, this is easier said than done. But there's no harm in trying to set goals, and find something that you're really looking forward to doing once cancer is behind you.
"My advice to others is to stay focused," Karen says. "Stay focused … think about one thing in your life or two things in your life that you can see when you're well, that you want to go after. And you want to follow through with. That's what got me through the holidays."
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.