RJ Mitte, ‘Breaking Bad’ Actor and Disability Advocate, Dies at 34
The actor who played Walter White Jr. on “Breaking Bad,” died in Brownsville, Texas, at 34, his representatives confirmed. Bryan Cranston paid tribute to his…
At 34, RJ Mitte had built a career playing a character whose cerebral palsy echoed his own experience. The “Breaking Bad” actor died Monday in Brownsville, Texas, his representatives confirmed, prompting tributes from co-star Bryan Cranston and renewed attention to Mitte’s disability-rights advocacy.
The Brownsville Police Department told CNN it received an emergency call around midday local time. Officers found Mitte deceased when they arrived, and police said no foul play is suspected at this time. The death remains under investigation, according to a spokesperson for the office of Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa.
Mitte’s representatives said he died by suicide. The Associated Press reported that Hinojosa declared him dead at about 1:30 p.m. local time and said an autopsy will be performed.
His family, in a statement shared by representatives, honored his philanthropic work and his efforts to use his public platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities.
RJ Mitte’s role and advocacy
Mitte portrayed Walter White Jr., the son of Cranston’s character, across all five seasons of “Breaking Bad.” The series aired on AMC from 2008 to 2013. Mitte, who lived with cerebral palsy, drew on his experience for the role.
His representatives said he “brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.” He also served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and created The Mitte Foundation to support philanthropic efforts and community initiatives.
The work extended beyond his acting roles. In an interview with the BBC in 2021, Mitte said he hoped award-season projects would reflect a wide range of experiences. “Watching the awareness grow around disability representation has been great to see, but breakthroughs sometimes come in pieces and moments instead of larger change,” he said.
That advocacy gave his death a wider resonance for people with disabilities and for an entertainment industry still grappling with representation. Mitte used the visibility of a hit television role to speak about inclusion, while pursuing parts that showed characters with disabilities as more than a diagnosis.
His credits included the 2021 film “Triumph,” in which he played a high school senior with cerebral palsy who tries to join a wrestling team. His other television work included “Switched at Birth,” “Now Apocalypse” and “The Guardians of Justice.”
Cranston pays tribute to his co-star
Cranston said he met Mitte when the actor was 14 and was cast as Walter White Jr. He remembered Mitte’s enthusiasm for the role and determination during the show’s demanding production schedule.
“Born with Cerebral Palsy, he never — ever — allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything,” Cranston said in a statement shared Monday night. “He met the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination.”
Cranston also wrote that he loved Mitte and had enjoyed their time working together on the series and afterward. He said he would miss him.
Mitte’s representatives asked for the family’s privacy. Information about survivors or a memorial service was not immediately available, according to Deadline.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Deadline reported.
Source: deadline.com
