An actor who says he cut his arm off during a 'psychotic episode' has admitted he lied about his injuries and claimed he was a war veteran in an attempt to land himself some better roles.
Todd Latourette, who has appeared in Better Call Saul and 2009 movie The Men Who Stare at Goats, told KOB-TV that he has bipolar disorder and that he cut his own arm off 17 years ago during a period when he had come off his medication.
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He told the news outlet he severed his hand with a saw, before cauterising it.
"The state of my mind was a psychotic episode," he said.
Latourette, from Alburquerque, New Mexico, then opened up lying to casting agents about he got his injury, telling them he was a wounded veteran.
He said: "The film industry took a different angle... that I was different, and so they liked that.
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"They trusted me that I was exactly who I said I was. I was a war veteran. I was hired because I lied."
Adding that he was coming clean now, even though he knows it will have a negative impact on his career.
"I was dishonourable," he added.
"I'm killing my career by doing this, if anyone thinks this was for personal edification, that's not the case
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"I'm ousting myself from the New Mexico film Industry. And gladly so, just to say what I've said."
The actor said he is not expecting people to forgive for lying but is hopeful that his story about his mental health struggles will help others in a similar situation.
He continued: "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."
Featured Image Credit: Netflix /ABCTopics: TV and Film, US Entertainment