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RJ Mitte, 'Breaking Bad' Actor, Dies at 34
Confirmed
In Short: Bryan Cranston, Mitte's on-screen father in 'Breaking Bad,' shared a lengthy, emotional tribute on social media, expressing his deep despair over the loss.
Actor RJ Mitte, best known for his role as Walter White Jr. in the hit TV series 'Breaking Bad,' died by suicide at the age of 34 on Monday in Brownsville, Texas, according to his representative.
Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age three, played the son of Bryan Cranston’s character Walter White for five seasons of the acclaimed AMC series.
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, paid tribute to Mitte on social media, saying, 'You reminded me of him because you always led with kindness and strength. We must suffocate the noise and focus on each other.'
Bryan Cranston, Mitte's on-screen father in 'Breaking Bad,' shared a lengthy, emotional tribute on social media, expressing his deep despair over the loss. 'I met him when he was only 14 years old when he was cast as Walter White Jr., a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm,' Cranston said.
Cranston also noted, 'That kid was pretty raw when we started shooting the pilot, but little by little we watched him grow into a really fine actor.' He added, 'I’ll miss you, son.'
Lea Thompson, who also worked with Mitte on 'Breaking Bad,' remembered him as 'joyous, professional and kind,' and said his work had inspired many people.
Beyond acting, Mitte was a prominent disability rights advocate, serving as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and leading the Mitte Foundation.
Emma Livingstone, founder and CEO of Up - the Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement, said, 'What I really like is that he was on TV playing a character that had cerebral palsy, but it wasn't about the fact that he had cerebral palsy.'
Ben Brucato, CEO and founder of BLUNT MGMT and a manager at The Green Room, shared a tribute on Instagram, calling Mitte an 'instant friend' turned family member over the course of their professional relationship.
The entertainment industry, by its very nature, can be transactional, but Brucato believes Mitte’s legacy will be how he treated others.
Mitte’s representative confirmed that suicide was the cause of death, and law enforcement told media outlets that the death investigation is ongoing.
The actor's death is a profound loss for the entertainment industry and for disability rights advocates, highlighting the importance of support and representation for individuals with disabilities.
Background
Actor RJ Mitte, best known for his role as Walter White Jr. in the hit TV series 'Breaking Bad,' died at the age of 34 on Monday in Brownsville, Texas.
Breaking Bad is an American neo-Western crime drama television series created by Vince Gilligan for AMC. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White, an overqualified high school chemistry teacher who, after being diagnosed with stage-three lung cancer, begins producing and selling methamphetamine with former student Jesse Pinkman to secure his family's financial future.
What's confirmed
- "It is with profound sadness we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte," Mitte's representative told Fox News Digital at the time.
- The actor and disability rights advocate, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child, died Monday at his home in Brownsville, Texas, according to authorities.
- "I met him when he was only 14 years old when he was cast as Walter White Jr., a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm," Cranston said in a Facebook post Monday night.
What's still developing
- Christina Dugan Ramirez is an entertainment journalist with more than 15 years of experience, including a decade at PEOPLE writing high-profile cover stories, covering Hollywood's biggest events, and interviewing many of the industry's most influential stars before joining Fox News Digital in 2024.
- He continued, “It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why. We were texting each other just a few weeks ago - figuring out when we could meet for lunch. I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future…” “But I do know that I loved him, and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series, and after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmed… I’ll miss you, son,” Cranston added.
- Mitte played Walter White Jr., the son of Bryan Cranston's chemistry teacher-turned-meth dealer Walter White on nearly every episode of the five seasons of the AMC show, which recently ranked as the best of the 21st century in a New York Times poll.
- “My heart is shattered. There will never be another like RJ Mitte,” she wrote on Instagram.
- “RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed,” he said.
- No further details about his passing have been made available at this time, except that law enforcement told them that the “death investigation is ongoing.” If you don’t know, RJ was one of the stars of Breaking Bad, the hugely popular TV series starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.
- 'Disabled or not, everyone deserves an opportunity,' RJ Mitte says in 2015 BBC interview "I have cerebral palsy but I've never let it hold me back." Those are the words of a 22-year-old Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte in an essay for Huffpost, external back in 2014.
- He was a phenomenal talent, and I think that's what's going to be missed so much." Mitte was mobbed by fans on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013 "That is his legacy: disabled people having careers within the creative industries.
- He was cast in Breaking Bad at 14, and told Channel 4 News in 2016 that the show "pioneered a lot of TV and writers to be more brave".
- If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
- "Beyond entertaining friends and family around the world, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s." The statement noted that Mitte also served as president of The Mitte Foundation, which supports philanthropic efforts and community initiatives, while using his platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities.
- He added: “I’ll never forget him taking me to a tiny, honky-tonky redneck bar in the middle of a cornfield in Texas and then tried to encourage me to learn how to line dance.” Beyond screen credits and advocacy work, Brucato believes Mitte’s legacy will be how he treated others.