An actor who recently appeared in an episode of AMC’s “Better Call Saul” admitted Monday that he cut off his own arm and posed as a wounded veteran in an attempt to get more acting roles.
Todd Latourette told local Albuquerque station KOB 4 that he sawed off and cauterized his right arm 17 years ago when he was off his medication for bipolar disorder. “I severed my hand with a Skil saw,” he said. “The state of my mind was a psychotic episode.”
The report said after Latourette began spreading a lie about being wounded in combat overseas, he started to get roles in the film industry. However, he claims he felt guilty to the point where he had to come clean.
“I was dishonorable,” he said in the interview. “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.”
KOB 4 reports that Latourette isn’t trying to get forgiveness, but rather hopes that his experience will serve as a lesson for those struggling with mental illness.
