Rene Kirby, an actor known for his work in “Shallow Hal” died on July 11 in Burlington, Vermont. He was 70.
His brother Jon confirmed to Seven Days that Kirby had died at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Kirby was hospitalized for two months with kidney, bladder and esophagus issues, as well as multiple infections. Kirby had previously survived throat cancer, but lost the ability to speak after the removal of his larynx.
Born in Vermont, Kirby was born with spina bifida, a condition that causes scoliosis, leg paralysis, and difficulty walking. After earning state titles in swimming and skiing, Kirby worked with IBM for 20 years. While living in Vermont, Kirby was scouted by Peter Farelly while he was directing “Me, Myself and Irene” in 1999. After the pair met, Farelly decided to cast Kirby in “Shallow Hal,” where he played a character named Walt alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black.
In an interview with the Burlington Free Press in 2023, Farelly spoke about working with Kirby on “Shallow Hal.” “Rene’s a guy we met in real life, on our travels, in Burlington. He’s not the kind of guy you see in a movie. You see him in Burlington, but you don’t see him in the movies. There’s a disconnect there.”
After working with Farelly on “Shallow Hal,” Kirby was cast as Phil Rupp in “Stuck on You,” marking his second collaboration with the Farrelly brothers in 2003. In 2005, Kirby had a small role in the 2005 series “Carnivàle,” which followed various characters in a traveling circus during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.
Kirby is survived by his mother and six siblings.
