Actor Nicky Katt, best known for his standout performances in the 90s indie classic Dazed and Confused and the ABC series Boston Public, has died.
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Katt’s passing was confirmed to Deadline by John Sloss, founder and partner of Sloss Law, the firm that represented the actor. Details regarding the cause of death have not yet been disclosed.
He was 54.
Katt, born on May 11, 1970, in South Dakota, began his career as a child actor. Per IMDb, he appeared in popular television shows such as CHiPs, Herbie, the Love Bug, Voyagers!, and Quincy, M.E., showcasing his talent from an early age.
Nicky Katt 1970-2025: RIP pic.twitter.com/LETgowxjCQ
— Sitcom People (@SitcomPeople) April 13, 2025
In 1993, he secured one of his most memorable roles as Clint Bruno in Dazed and Confused. This iconic coming-of-age film captures the wild antics of a group of teenagers in 1976 Austin, Texas as they celebrate the last day of high school. The star-studded cast also included break-out roles for Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, and Parker Posey.
Katt would go on to work with Dazed and Confused director Richard Linklater in Waking Life, SubUrbia, and School of Rock.
Katt also starred as Harry Senate in the first three seasons of David E. Kelley’s Boston Public (2000-2002). The series centered on the lives of 10 high school faculty members in Boston as they balanced managing troubled students with their own personal struggles. The ensemble cast featured Loretta Devine, Michael Rapaport, Anthony Heald, Chi McBride, Jeri Ryan, and Rashida Jones.
Nicky Katt was Generation X’s ‘That Guy’
For Generation X, Katt was something of a “that guy,” an actor we all recognized that frequently popped up in mainstream film and TV in memorable supporting roles.
Some of Katt’s notable film appearances include A Time to Kill, Batman & Robin, Boiler Room (again alongside Ben Affleck), and Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof.
He also featured in several Steven Soderbergh films, including the 2002 comedy Full Frontal, where he starred alongside Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, as well as the 2013 Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra. Perhaps his most memorable part in a Soderbergh film was in 1999’s The Limey as Stacy the Hitman.
Meanwhile, Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan cast him in Insomnia and The Dark Knight. As a child actor, he also had small roles in the Joe Dante films Gremlins and The ‘Burbs.
Katt’s last acting credit, as listed on IMDb, was in 2018 when he made a guest appearance on an episode of the Hulu comedy series Casual.