Cause of Death Revealed — Updated with Medical Examiner Confirmation: Actor Nicky Katt died by suicide, according to a statement from his family.
Law enforcement sources confirm that 54-year-old Nicky Katt died by hanging. No suicide note or explanation was found at the scene. Authorities believe he had been deceased for several days before his body was discovered.
“Today, with the heaviest of hearts, I share the devastating news of my brother’s passing,” Katt’s sister Elise Ravenscroft said to Deadline on Monday. “He died by suicide after battling with depression—one that he fought bravely but quietly.”
“This is a pain no family should endure, yet far too many do,” Ravenscroft continued. “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.”
Actor Nicky Katt, known for his memorable roles in Richard Linklater’s 1993 classic Dazed and Confused, the 2000 drama Boiler Room, and the television series Boston Public, has passed away at the age of 54.
His passing was confirmed to TheWrap by attorney John Sloss, founder and partner at Sloss Law, which represented Katt.
Katt also appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 film Full Frontal, sharing the screen with Julia Roberts, Catherine Keener, and Brad Pitt. In the film, he portrayed a self-absorbed actor cast as Adolf Hitler in a fictional stage production titled The Sound and the Fuhrer, where Hitler is reimagined as an average man struggling with commitment issues.
Nicky Katt (May 11, 1970 – April 12, 2025) was an American actor renowned for his compelling portrayals of complex and often antagonistic characters across film and television.
Born in South Dakota, Katt began his acting career at the age of seven, appearing in television series such as CHiPs and Quincy, M.E. He continued to work steadily through the 1980s, with roles in shows like Father Murphy and V.
Transitioning into adult roles, Katt became known for his ability to embody unsympathetic characters. Notable performances include the volatile Clint Bruno in Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused (1993), the racist Billy Ray Cobb in A Time to Kill (1996), and the ambitious Greg Weinstein in Boiler Room (2000). He also portrayed the unconventional teacher Harry Senate in the television series Boston Public (2000–2002), earning critical acclaim for his performance.
Katt’s filmography includes collaborations with esteemed directors such as Steven Soderbergh in The Limey (1999) and Full Frontal (2002), Christopher Nolan in Insomnia (2002) and The Dark Knight (2008), and Robert Rodriguez in Sin City (2005) and Planet Terror (2007). In addition to his on-screen work, he lent his voice to the character Atton Rand in the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (2004).
Katt was married to Annie Morse from 1999 until their divorce in 2001.
