Nearly 20 years ago, an aspiring actor decided to cut off his right arm and claim to be a disabled war vet in the hopes that he would land more acting roles. Now he has come clean to say it was all a hoax.
Todd Latourette played small television roles in titles such as The Men Who Stare at Goats, A Bird of the Air, Longmire, Manhattan, and the largest role in Season 4, episode 5 of Better Call Saul (2018). He landed the role in Better Call Saul after claiming he was wounded in the military while on duty overseas, KOB 4 reported.
He played Skell in the “Quite a Ride” episode of Better Call Saul, which is an AMC crime series that airs on Netflix. Better Call Saul is a spin-off of Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, according to The Daily Mail.
Better Call Saul Actor Reveals He Cut Off His Own Arm, Lied About Being War Veteran to Land Roles https://t.co/S7Cbi3lKbg
— People (@people) November 1, 2018
“The film industry obviously took a different angle. That I was different. And so they liked that,” said Latourette.
“I severed my hand with a skill saw. The state of my mind was a psychotic episode,” he said.
He then cauterized his own wound.
Latourette admitted that he was consumed by guilt for his actions and suspects this may hurt his future potential as an actor, FOX News reported.
He said, “I was dishonorable. I’m killing my career by doing this, if anyone thinks this was for personal edification, that’s not the case. I’m ousting myself from the New Mexico Film Industry. And gladly so, just to say what I’ve said,” according to People Magazine.
Latourette has hopes that by sharing his story it may inspire others who battle mental illness and also share the importance of taking medication that helps win the struggle.
Latourette claimed he has bipolar disorder and had stopped taking his medication.
Individuals who suffer from bipolar disorder experience periods of bizarre emotion and drastic and unusual behaviors, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
According to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, self-mutilation is common in bipolar disorder.
“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,” he plead.
