Nicky Katt, Voice of Atton Rand in \”Knights of the Old Republic II,\” Passes Away at 54

As reported by
AV Club
Actor Nicky Katt passed away at the age of 54 due to unreported causes. Although he was widely recognized for his extensive work in supporting roles where he frequently portrayed antagonists, bullies, or villains in various films such as \”Dazed and Confused,\” \”Strange Days,\” \”SubUrbia,\” \”Boiler Room,\” \”School of Rock,\” \”The Limey,\” and \”Way of the Gun,\” fans who frequent PC Gamer might remember him best for voicing Atton Rand in \”Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II.\”

Just finished his stint as schoolteacher Harry Senate for the initial three seasons of \”Boston Public,\” Katt took on a rebellious interpretation of Han Solo in Obsidian’s RPG filled with unconventional spins on Star Wars characters. As Atton, an irreverent smuggler who piloted your spaceship, he harbored a hidden, grim backstory—much like most characters in a Knights of the Old Republic game, which seems mandated by some intergalactic rule.

Katt managed to pull off the dual roles of a tormented survivor and a witty quick-witted character—should you choose to play as a female, his initial line references Anakin from \”The Phantom Menace,\” which he promptly dismisses as absurd. This quip fit right into the zeitgeist of 2004 when mocking the Star Wars prequels was popular. Although Atton marked his sole video game appearance, Katt delivered what could be considered a standout performance that mainstream cinema seldom afforded him an opportunity for—a showcase of hidden depth beneath his tough exterior. The way you engage with him allows him to evolve into either your closest ally or someone who leaves you reminiscing about having had a sort of connection akin to being friends with Giovanni Ribisi’s characters.

Katt portrayed a street-racing tough named Spike in the 1997 film \”Batman & Robin\” and drove for SWAT in the 2008 movie \”The Dark Knight\”—the character known for asking, \”Is that a bazooka?\”. This could make Katt the sole performer to feature in both Joel Schumacher’s over-the-top Batman films and Christopher Nolan’s dark and serious Batman series. Quite an intriguing tidbit for trivia nights!

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