Actor Nicky Katt, known for roles in “Dazed and Confused” and “Boston Public,” died by suicide at his Burbank, California apartment on April 8, 2025. He was 54.
Katt’s attorney, John Sloss, confirmed his death to the press on April 13, without providing further details. The following day, Katt’s family disclosed his death was a result of suicide after a prolonged battle with depression.
His sister, Elise Ravenscroft, told Deadline that Katt had faced depression “bravely but quietly” throughout his life. “This is a pain no family should endure, yet far too many do,” she said. “Mental illness is real, it is powerful, and it is often invisible. We hope that by sharing this, we can help break the silence and stigma that so often surrounds mental health struggles.”
His body was found by his landlord, who had visited earlier in the week over unpaid rent and returned five days later. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office confirmed suicide as the cause of death. Katt had been dead for at least a day before being discovered.
Katt, a native of South Dakota, started his acting career as a child in 1980 with a role in “Fantasy Island.” He later appeared in “Herbie, the Love Bug” and voiced Leland Lizard in “The Get Along Gang.”
In adulthood, Katt took on roles with a darker edge. He played bully Clint Bruno in “Dazed and Confused” (1993) and a white supremacist in “A Time to Kill” (1996). His career spanned nearly four decades with 75 credited roles from 1980 to 2018.
On television, Katt was known for his role as Harry Senate in “Boston Public.”
Katt worked with numerous notable directors, including Robert Rodriguez, who remembered him as “an absolute joy on and off the camera” and “a true artist.”
His other appearances included roles in “Love & War,” “Friends,” “Batman & Robin,” “School of Rock,” “Boiler Room,” “King of the Hill,” “Monk,” “Law & Order,” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof.” His filmography also featured Steven Soderbergh’s “Full Frontal” and “Solaris,” along with Robert Rodriguez’s “Sin City.”
His last screen appearance was a guest role on the Hulu series “Casual” in 2018.
In a 2002 interview, Katt spoke on his preference for complex characters over more mainstream roles, stating, “Sometimes I think if I did more sit-ups and went to the tanning salon, I could have a lot more power than I do now. At the end of the day, you do what your gut tells you to do.”
In another interview, Katt discussed the pressures of acting in Los Angeles, mentioning the “desperation in the air” and “low-level malevolence” in the industry.
Katt was previously married to Annie Morse, with their marriage ending in 2001. He is survived by his sister, Elise Ravenscroft.