Images – Paramount
Actor Val Kilmer had a small role in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ but received over $2,000 for every second he appeared in the film.
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Val Kilmer, aged 63, portrayed Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, rival to Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, in the original 1986 film. The role brought fame and success to Kilmer, but unfortunately, the actor had to exit his career in 2015 after being diagnosed with throat cancer.
To treat his illness, Kilmer had to undergo two tracheostomies, affecting his vocal cords and thus his ability to speak. Therefore, it was a big surprise when his involvement in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ was announced.
His appearance in the long-awaited sequel, after 36 years, was very brief but highly celebrated and well rewarded. Though it’s not precisely clear how much Kilmer pocketed, entertainment website ScreenRant suggested the figure ranged between $400,000 and $2 million. This means that with his 3-minute participation, the actor received at least $2,222 per second.
