American actor RJ Mitte, widely recognised for playing the outspoken son of drug lord Walter White in ‘Breaking Bad’, has died at the age of 34.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” his representative told reporters.
Mitte died in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday. His publicist confirmed he took his own life.
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Mitte, who lived with cerebral palsy, brought his lived experience to his portrayal of Walter ‘Flynn’ White Jr in the Emmy award-winning series. Bryan Cranston, who played his father, was among the first to pay tribute, saying he was in “deep despair” after hearing the news.
Cranston starred as a secondary school chemistry teacher who turns to crime to provide for his family following a cancer diagnosis.
“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,” said Cranston.
“That kid was pretty raw when we started shooting the pilot in February of 2007, but little by little we watched him grow into a really fine actor.”
Cranston commended Mitte’s campaigning for actors with disabilities, noting he never allowed his cerebral palsy to “be an excuse for anything”.
“All that promise and potential now is such a loss,” wrote the actor, noting that he “thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series, and after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmed”.
He said “it is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life.”
Cranston stated: “I’ll miss you, son.”
Mitte’s representative, Sean Reilly, said in a statement to reporters: “Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.”
The actor was also an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s.
He established The Mitte Foundation to support charitable work and community projects, using his profile “to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities”, Reilly said.
In a statement shared with the reporter’s, Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman in ‘Breaking Bad’, said he was at a loss and heartbroken.
“RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed,” he said. “And to whoever happens to be reading this, please know you are loved, and you are not alone. Always remember that.”
Dean Norris, who played Mitte’s uncle Hank Schrader, posted that although “RJ didn’t play my TV son, I always looked out for him as a young kid on set”.
“He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed,” Norris wrote.
Mitte, who grew up in Louisiana, was in his early teens when he auditioned for the career-defining role after relocating to Los Angeles to support his younger sister’s acting ambitions in 2005.
He had said his first audition in Los Angeles was for a California state public service announcement for an anti-meth commercial.
“Fast forward to auditioning for Breaking Bad, which is still, in my opinion, an anti-meth thing because it doesn’t end well for anyone,” he said on the Joe Vulpis Podcast earlier this month.
His character was inspired by the late friend of the show’s creator Vince Gilligan, who had a more severe form of cerebral palsy and used forearm crutches, which Mitte did not need.
Mitte was praised for bringing honesty and relatability to the role, delivering sharp one-liners as a teenager whose health condition was rarely referenced in the series.
‘Breaking Bad’ was broadcast on US cable network AMC for five series from 2008-13.
Following his rise to fame, Mitte campaigned for more diverse roles and nuanced portrayals of characters with disabilities, both visible and invisible.
“Whenever awards season rolls around, we always hope to see a diverse group of projects that reflect all of us, in body and mind,” he told reporters in 2021.
“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.
His other screen credits include Hannah Montana, Switched at Birth, Westhampton and his most recent project, Talking to Strangers, which was released earlier this year.
