Kirby also appeared in another Farelly brothers movie, &34;Stuck on You,&34; and a 2005 episode of &34;Carnivàle.&34; Rene Kirby, Shallow Hal actor, dies at 70

Kirby also appeared in another Farelly brothers movie, "Stuck on You," and a 2005 episode of "Carnivàle."

Rene Kirby, Shallow Hal actor, dies at 70 after lifelong battle with spina bifida

Kirby also appeared in another Farelly brothers movie, "Stuck on You," and a 2005 episode of "Carnivàle."

By Shania Russell

Published on July 23, 2025 05:24PM EDT

Rene Kirby in 'Shallow Hal'. Credit:

20th Century Fox

Rene Kirby, the actor best known for his role in 2001's *Shallow Hal*, has died. He was 70.

Kirby died on July 11 at the University of Vermont Medical Center, his brother Jon told local publication *Seven Days*. Prior to his death, the actor was hospitalized for two months with esophagus, kidney, and bladder issues, in addition to suffering multiple infections.

The actor was born with spina bifida, a condition that occurs when a fetus' spine and spinal cord don't close properly early in a pregnancy. This can cause several issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic, including difficulty walking, scoliosis, and paralysis in the legs. Kirby said that as a toddler, he instead learned to walk with his hands.

Jon, who lived two houses down from his brother in Burlington, Vt., told the outlet that the condition never slowed Kirby down.

"He just showed me that there's no limitations on what anyone can do," Jon said.

He added that his brother often said, "You don't have to stand up to stand out."

Rene Kirby in 'Shallow Hal'.

20th Century Fox

Born February 27, 1955, to Dan and Janet Kirby in Burlington, Kirby was the second of seven siblings. In high school, he proved himself to be an accomplished athlete by earning state gymnastics titles in addition to being a decorated swimmer and skier.

Kirby went on to work at IBM for two decades before earning attention for his role in *Shallow Hal*, the Farelly Brothers' rom-com starring Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow. His character, Walt, also had spina bifida and was written specifically for him. Peter Farelly, who was in town while shooting *Me, Myself and Irene*, spotted Kirby walking around on all fours and, after getting to know him better, added the character to the movie.

"Rene's a guy we met in real life, on our travels, in Burlington," Farelly told the Burlington Free Press in 2023. "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."

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Kirby would later appear as Phil Rupp in another Farelly brothers movie, 2003's *Stuck on You*. His final screen appearance was a 2005 episode of *Carnivàle*. Also a carpenter, Kirby later remodeled several houses with his brother.

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*Seven Days* reports that Kirby also survived throat cancer, but treatment required the removal of his larynx, meaning he lost the ability to speak in his later years.

Kirby is survived by his mother and six siblings.

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