Todd LaTourrette also appeared in the George Clooney film The Men Who Stare At Goats
An actor who claimed to be a wounded war veteran has admitted that he lied about his military career to help him get roles.
Todd LaTourrette, who is bipolar, cut his own arm off during a psychotic episode after he stopped taking his medication.
The incident happened 17 years ago.
LaTourrette made the admission in an interview with Albuquerque TV station KOB-TV.
“I severed my hand with a skill saw,” he told the station. “The state of my mind was a psychotic episode.”
He said that telling people that he had lost the arm while serving in the military helped him get acting work.
“The film industry took a different angle, that I was different, and so they liked that. They trusted me that I was exactly who I said I was. I was a war veteran. I was hired because I lied.”
“I was dishonourable. I’m killing my career by doing this, if anyone thinks this was for personal edification, that’s not the case,” LaTourrette continued. “I’m ousting myself from the New Mexico film industry. And gladly so, just to say what I’ve said.”
The actor had a small part in Breaking Bad-spin-off Better Call Saul, playing a character called Skell in the season four episode ‘Quite A Ride’. He also appeared in The Men Who Stare At Goats with George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, and the Western TV series Longmire.
LaTourette says that he was revealing his story because he wanted to help those with similar mental conditions.
“The power is in your hands to take your medication in the morning, or at night. So that, this, this discourse of my life doesn’t need to necessarily be yours. Because, it happens quick… it happens quick.”
