Talladega Nights actor Houston Tumlin dead by suicide at age 28: Child star who played Will Ferrell’s son ‘found at home after self-inflicted gunshot wound’
- Tumlin died at his Pelham, Alabama home on Tuesday night
- His girlfriend was reportedly in the home at the time, according to TMZ
- He played Ferrell’s foul-mouthed son in 2006’s Talladega Nights: The Legend Of Ricky Bobby
- The comedy was his only major film credit
- Since, he reportedly served in the Army and worked repairing telephone lines
Talladega Nights star Houston Tumlin has passed away at the age of 28.
The actor, who was aged just 13 when he appeared in the 2006 Will Ferrell film, died by suicide on Tuesday afternoon at his home in Pelham, Alabama.
Shelby County coroner Lina Evans told TMZ that Tumlin was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot to the head around 4:30pm.
Sources told TMZ that Tumlin’s girlfriend was in the house at the time. A note has not been found.
Houston was a standout in Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby, in which he played foul-mouthed Walker Bobby, Will Ferrell’s character’s son.
The movie was a smash-hit, grossing $163 million at the box office and becoming one of the highest-earning comedies of the 2000s.
The movie was Tumlin’s only professional film credit.
Tragic: Talladega nights actor Houston Tumlin has died by a self-inflicted gunshot at the age of 28
Blast from the past: Houston shared a throwback snap with Will Ferrell not to long ago
In recent years, Tumlin served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell along the Kentucky-Tennessee border.
According to TMZ, he also dabbled in other work, including repairing telephone lines.
Tumlin’s Instagram betrayed no sign of his internal turmoil, and was instead filled with happy snaps of his family and beloved dog.
Tumlin’s sister Hayden took to social media on Wednesday morning to pay tribute to her late brother.
‘I lost my brother yesterday. This doesn’t feel real or right to be without him. He was so special to us. I will love you forever, bubba,’ she wrote.
In recent years, Tumlin served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell along the Kentucky-Tennessee border. He is pictured in a 2017 selfie
Tumlin is seen in uniform in a photo posted to his Instagram page back in 2019
Will Ferrell has not yet made public comment on the death of his comedy co-star.
Tumlin appeared to fondly remember his time on the set of the film, sharing several throwback snaps on his Instagram account.
Bleep! Houston was a standout in Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby as the foul-mouthed 10-year-old Walker Bobby, Will Ferrell’s character’s son