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Former child actor Houston Tumlin has died at the age of 28. Tumlin was known for playing Will Ferrell’s eldest son in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
According to USA Today, Tumlin died by suicide at his home in Pelham, Alabama on Wednesday. The Shelby County Coroner’s Office confirmed to the publication that the former child star died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tumlin’s only role came in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, in which he played Walker Bobby, the eldest of Ricky Bobby’s foul-mouthed sons. Walker and his brother Texas Ranger (played by Grayson Russell) don’t appear many times in the film, but they are heavily featured in the comedy’s iconic dinner table scene.
The hilarious scene showcases Tumlin’s timing and commitment to a role that required a fair amount of crude language. After Walker and Texas Ranger describe their school day — during which Texas Ranger told his teacher that she has a “lumpy butt” — their grandfather insists that Ricky and his wife are raising “terrible boys.”
“I can’t hold my tongue,” says Chip, played by Ted Manson. “These kids are my grandchildren and you are raising them wrong!”
“Shut up, Chip! Or I’ll go apeshit on your ass!” replies Tumlin’s Walker. “I’m 10 years old, but I’ll beat your ass! … The greatest generation my ass. Tom Brokaw is a punk.”
Last month, Tumlin, who served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division in recent years, reflected on his time as part of Talladega Nights in a throwback Instagram post. “Tell me a set of ‘brothers’ more handsome,” he wrote, tagging Grayson Russell. “I’ll wait.”
Following Tumlin’s death, his friends and family have taken to social media to pay tribute to the late child star. “I’ve never experienced a hurt like this before. I feel defeated, I feel lost. I feel empty. My heart is absolutely shattered,” Tumlin’s girlfriend, Charity Robertson, wrote on Facebook. “My sweet, sweet baby.. Our time together was one of the best experiences of my life. I’ll miss your big heart, caring spirit, infectious laughter, & oh man could the list go on.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text the word “Home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
