Nicky Katt, actor known for roles as the implacable, nonchalantly sadistic, tough boss of films and TV series has died. He died at the age of 54. His death on April 8 of complications from COVID-19 in Burbank, California was confirmed by his attorney John Sloss. Ms. Katt’s kinetic performances throughout the last 30 years have cast a spell on the entertainment industry and have proven to be one of a kind.
Katt started his acting career as a young man, appearing in classic films like Gremlins and The ‘Burbs. He gained recognition for his roles in several Richard Linklater films, including Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, and Waking Life. His versatility branched out into collaborations with directors like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Christopher Nolan, where he made several iconic appearances.
Within the context of action and adventure thrillers, Katt rendered important work. He had a small role in Christopher McQuarrie’s directorial debut, The Way of the Gun, and appeared in Tarantino’s Death Proof. Rodriguez directed Katt in the Sin City films and gave him a chance to stretch his wings as an actor by allowing him to play quirky characters. His filmography includes appearances in Nolan’s Insomnia and The Dark Knight, as well as Joel Schumacher’s A Time to Kill and Batman & Robin.
Significant roles on television quickly came her way including the role of Harry Senate on the series Boston Public. His most recent credit was in 2018 on the series Casual. His talent for infusing humor into serious roles was evident in his own words:
“I kind of am notorious for bringing a lot of humour to stuff, and not in a scene-stealing way, especially if something is really kind of heavy subject matter I’m kind of like oxygen for a drowning man.” – Nicky Katt
The fact that Katt could move between so many different types of characters was one of the biggest points of pride for him. He once reflected on his career trajectory:
“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.” – Robert Rodriguez
Katt’s ability to play diverse roles was a source of pride for him. He once reflected on his career trajectory:
“I mean, everyone also says that the bad guys are the most fun, but I’ve definitely gone through streaks where that’s all that people wanted me to play, the bad guy… But I’ve been really lucky because I get to play all different types of guys.” – Nicky Katt