Val Kilmer was allegedly paid at least $2,000 for every second he appeared on screen during Top Gun: Maverick.
Kilmer made a triumphant return to the silver screen in Top Gun: Maverick, the highly anticipated 2022 sequel to the iconic 1986 film.
Kilmer's portrayal of Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, the rival to Tom Cruise's Maverick, has remained legendary over the decades, contributing substantially to his financial success.
Kilmer, alongside Tom Cruise, achieved worldwide fame thanks to their roles in Top Gun, the 63-year-old actor took a significant hiatus from acting after a devastating diagnosis of throat cancer in 2015.
Watch the trailer for Top Gun: Maverick below:This life-altering experience led to two tracheostomies, affecting his vocal cords and rendering him unable to speak.
When the announcement came that Kilmer would make a brief return appearance in Top Gun: Maverick, fans were stunned.
The sequel, released 36 years after the original, showcased Iceman reuniting with Maverick as he ascended through the ranks to become a four-star admiral.
Though the exact figure of Kilmer's paycheck for his Maverick appearance remains undisclosed, reports by ScreenRant suggest it ranged anywhere from $400,000 to a whopping $2 million.
Considering he was only on screen for a very short amount of time, even if he (only) made $400,000, that still equates to $2,000 dollars for every second during his three-minute cameo.
Following Kilmer's heartbreaking diagnosis, a decision was made to generate his voice for the movie using artificial intelligence.
As reported by PEOPLE, Kilmer received assistance from cutting-edge AI technology, developed by a company named Sonantic.
In a 2021 blog post, Sonantic CEO John Flynn explained that various algorithms were used to "generate more than 40 different voice models" for Kilmer, ultimately selecting the "best, highest-quality, most expressive one."
Flynn further elaborated, stating: "From the beginning, our aim was to make a voice model that Val would be proud of... We were eager to give him his voice back, providing a new tool for whatever creative projects are ahead."
Sonantic even released a video showcasing Kilmer's voice using their technology. In the video, Kilmer shared his thoughts, saying: "My voice as I knew it, was taken away from me."
Kilmer remarked: "We all have the capacity to be creative. We’re all driven to share our deepest dreams and ideas with the world. When we think of the most talented creative people, they speak to us in a unique way. A phrase we often hear is ‘having a creative voice.'"
He continued: "But I was struck by throat cancer. After getting treated, my voice as I knew it was taken away from me. People around me struggle to understand when I’m talking."
Kilmer's resilience shone through as he shared: "But despite all that, I still feel I’m the exact same person. Still the same creative soul. A soul that dreams ideas and stories confidently, but now I can express myself again, bring these ideas to you, and show you this part of myself once more. A part that was never truly gone. Just hiding away."
Similar voice technology is also being utilized in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi to aid in James Earl Jones' portrayal of Darth Vader's iconic dialogue.
