Yahoo Lifestyle Nicky Katt Tributes From Directors Linklater, McQuarrie, Robert Rodriguez, David Gordon Green, Adam Goldberg & More
UPDATED with cause of death: More on the death of Nicky Katt, who faded from view around the time of the pandemic. His family confirmed on Monday, April 14, that Katt died by suicide earlier this month. His bio information was furnished by his family, and Deadline can follow with some quotes by the directors he worked with most often.
Katt was born on May 11, 1970, the son of Carol Katt, a costume designer originally from South Dakota, and Agustin Islas, the bass player for the Mexican band El Klan. Though he was born in Acapulco, he spent his childhood in Los Angeles, where he was raised by his mother. He attended Wonderland Elementary in Laurel Canyon, St. Paul’s Lutheran School in North Hollywood, and graduated from Providence High in Burbank in 1987, a year early.
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Katt was named Agustin Islas, after his father, at birth, but took his mother’s surname when he began a career as a child actor. The first name Nicky was suggested to him by the comedic actor Harvey Korman.
In the early 1980s, Katt started making appearances on television, including episodes of Fantasy Island, CHiPs, Quincy, M.E., Father Murphy, The Facts of Life and V. In 1981, he acted in the stage production of Love Streams directed by John Cassavetes, appearing with Jon Voight and Gena Rowlands, who was a friend of his mother’s. His early film appearances included Joe Dante’s Gremlins and The Burbs.
As an adult, his career took an important turn when he landed the role of pot-smoking gearhead Clint Bruno in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, in the ensemble that featured breakthrough appearances from Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, Ben Affleck, Adam Goldberg, Cole Hauser, Rory Cochrane and Renée Zellweger. Though a large group, the cast stayed friends for many years, often reuniting in later productions. Katt acted with Posey in Linklater’s SubUrbia, with McConaughey in Joel Schumacher’s A Time to Kill, with Affleck in Ben Younger’s Boiler Room, and with Zellweger in Carl Franklin’s One True Thing.
While often cast as the heavy, he worked steadily as a character actor. Katt was selective in his career choices, prioritizing opportunities to work with directors and actors he admired over the size of the roles. He appeared in films directed by William Friedkin (The Rules of Engagement), Christopher McQuarrie (The Way of the Gun), Quentin Tarantino (Death Proof), Gregg Araki (The Doom Generation), Kathryn Bigelow (Strange Days), Neil Jordan (The Brave One) and Oliver Stone (World Trade Center). As well as for Joe Dante, he appeared in multiple films directed by Christopher Nolan (Insomnia, The Dark Knight), Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Planet Terror), David Gordon Green (Snow Angels, The Sitter) and Schumacher (A Time to Kill, Batman and Robin).
He had special relationships with Linklater and Soderbergh, who frequently found opportunities to focus on his unique improvisational energy. Soderbergh, having cast Katt in The Limey, created a role just for him in his experimental feature Full Frontal: an actor performing a bizarre interpretation of Adolf Hitler. Katt’s final film appearance was in Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra.
In 2000, he returned to television in a featured role on David E. Kelley’s Boston Public, appearing in 49 episodes as the unconventional teacher Harry Senate. A brilliant voice actor and mimic, he performed on three episodes of King of the Hill, as well as lending his voice to the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords. His stage appearances were few but included A Second-Hand Memory, written and directed by Woody Allen.
In his final years, Katt turned away from the entertainment industry, residing in Ben Lomond, CA, where he cared for his mother until her death in 2023. At the time of his death he was residing in Burbank.
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The filmmakers who most often worked with Katt have come forward with tributes.
Said Linklater, who directed Katt in Dazed and Confused and Waking Life:
“Nicky had a deep love for the character actors of cinema history, and I think saw himself that way. When I was auditioning actors for Dazed and Confused, I’d ask them what character in the ensemble they most related to or were interested in, and the majority talked about the bigger parts, naturally. Nicky said he liked Clint. I almost didn’t know what he was talking about, “you mean the 17th largest part in the movie?” “Yeah.” He made something unique out of it, bringing his wicked humor, unpredictability, and smoldering quality to it. We worked up an entirely new scene for him and Matthew talking about car engines. I think he probably over-filled all his roles, which makes him memorable. Maybe he over-filled his life too, which, while often exasperating to those closest to him, makes him someone you’ll never forget. That brilliant spark will be missed. “
Rodriguez, who directed Katt in Sin City and Planet Terror, the latter comprising half of the Grindhouse film:
“You could always count on Nicky Katt for many things. He’d come in incredibly prepared for a role with costumes and props. He’d come full of inventive and creative ideas that would make his characters pop off the screen and consistently have an audience howling. He’d deliver lines that would constantly sound as unexpected as an ad lib, yet it was the text. And if he did adlib, it was always gold. Even his physical comedy and timing was truly on another level.
Nicky was an absolute joy on and off the camera. A true artist. A friend. It’s very sad to lose Nicky Katt. But I can only be grateful I got to know him, work with him, and watch him create his own truly original brand of magic that will live forever in his favorite medium.”
Henry Griffin, a filmmaker and close Katt friend, who directed the actor in the 1999 short film Mutiny:
“Nicky Katt did on the first take what other actors might try on the fourth. In life and work, he faced every scenario as an opportunity for his signature touch. His charisma and wit were even more unforgettable in person than on the screen. My dearest pal loved legends, and now he is one.”
McQuarrie, who directed Katt in The Way of the Gun:
“Nicky was a genuinely unique screen presence and a uniquely genuine soul. I will miss him.”
Green, who directed Katt in Snow Angels:
“Nicky was an actor with a one of a kind wit. He could make a meal out of a snack. I appreciated those dry comebacks he’d hit you with that often nodded to his love of old school Hollywood icons.”
Adam Goldberg, who teamed with Katt in that memorable scene in Dazed and Confused, and also in Linklater’s Waking Life, and who also made Katt part of his the film he directed, Scotch and Milk:
“Nick was a complete artist, a uniquely intelligent and versatile actor who I’m proud to have called a collaborator for many years. His love of film and its history is reflected in his wide ranging performances., and only wish audiences had the opportunity to see his potential fully realized.”
If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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