Val Kilmer Cancer Crisis: Tragic Star Struggling Through 2016

Val Kilmer looked tragic while checking out of a hotel in La Jolla, Calif., on Dec. 12 — ending a year that's seen the actor fighting a major health crisis. The new photos show that the beloved "Batman Forever" star is continuing to struggle through a deadly cancer scare that's challenged his faith as a Christian Scientist!

The National ENQUIRER first reported the bombshell exclusive that Val was fighting a deadly throat tumor at the start of 2015. Since then, Val's been seen forced to use a breathing tube, and has also shown the devastating after-effects of his surgery. But even though the actor has appeared frail while promoting his new film about Mark Train, he keeps denying any medical issues — even after his old costar Michael Douglas spoke out!

Michael — struggling with his own health issues through 2016 — ended up apologizing publicly to Val after he let slip some shocking news about his fellow star's health. The tongue-cancer survivor said during an appearance in London that Val "is dealing with exactly what I had, and things don’t look too good for him!”

"I love Michael Douglas," Val replied, "but he is misinformed." The ENQUIRER still caught Val looking sickly while making personal appearances throughout California to promote his Mark Twain dream project. The statement was reminiscent of when Val's mother, Gladys Leach, also had to confirm his diagnosis after Val's frequent denials after The ENQUIRER's exclusive scoop!

“I was in to verify I have no tumor or infection of any kind,” said Val — after The ENQUIRER revealed that he had checked into the hospital under the false name of “Oscar Davis,” and an eyewitness reported that he was hooked up to several machines and “could barely speak as he was wheeled through the ICU on a gurney.”

That was after Val — a devout Christian Scientist — spent  precious time trying to "pray away" his throat cancer. “Val ‘talks’ to the illness and meditates on it,” an insider said at the time. “when he coughs, he interprets that as the illness leaving his body.” Val got proper medical care by the end of 2015, but — as seen in these troubling photos — friends have reason to still be concerned!