Val Kilmer was paid at least $2k per second for his scene in Top Gun: Maverick

Val Kilmer, a star of the original Top Gun, may have only had a small cameo in it’s 2022 sequel, but it was a very expensive one.

Kilmer, who played Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky - the rival of Tom Cruise's Maverick - has remained an iconic aspect of the Top Gun franchise ever since it first began back in 1986.

While the role garnered Kilmer fame and success, the actor unfortunately had to step back from his career in 2015 after being diagnosed with throat cancer.

The 63-year-old underwent two tracheostomies, which affected his vocal chords and thus his ability to speak.

Because of this, it was somewhat of a surprise to fans when it was announced that Kilmer would be making an appearance in the 36-year long-awaited awaited sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.

The cameo in the action movie saw Iceman reunite with Maverick after becoming a four-star admiral.

And for those who may be wondering about his voice, Iceman was able to speak with the help of artificial intelligence.

Paramount Pictures

Kilmer, who had already admitted to wanting a return to the franchise, even revealed that he became emotional after hearing his AI voice.

Fans were emotional too, with the 3-minute-long cameo being taken incredibly well by audiences.

But Kilmer had another reason to be happy about his speaking role - and that was the huge cheque he received for his involvement.

Reports by ScreenRant have suggested that Kilmer’s pay ranged from $400,000 to $2 million - though these figures aren't 100 percent clear.

This means that if Kilmer was paid at least $400,000, he'll have earned a minimum of $2,222 per second during his short scene. And if he was paid $2 million, that would be $11,111 per second.

Iceman certainly cashed in.

Paramount Pictures

But considering how much the Batman Forever star suffered from his cancer diagnosis, perhaps this pay-out will come as a relief after the physical and mental strain his illness had on him.

In his memoir, I’m Your Huckleberry, Kilmer wrote about waking up 'vomiting blood' before even knowing for certain that he had cancer.

"The cancer miraculously healed much faster than any of the doctors predicted,” he recalled. “It has taken time, and taken a toll … Speaking, once my joy and lifeblood, has become an hourly struggle."

Kilmer then joked that his new voice sounds like “Marlon Brando after a couple of bottles of tequila,” adding that "It isn’t a frog in my throat. More like a buffalo."

Topics: TV and Film, Film, Top Gun, Tom Cruise, Celebrity

Lucy-Jo Finnighan