RJ Mitte, best known for playing Walter White Jr in Breaking Bad, has died aged 34.
The American actor died on Monday in Brownsville, Texas. "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte," a representative for Mitte said.
The actor appeared in all five seasons of hit drama Breaking Bad, which ran from 2008 to 2013, playing the teenage son of Bryan Cranston’s chemistry teacher turned drug dealer. Mitte and his character had cerebral palsy.
The role brought him international recognition and provided a platform for his work advocating for people with disabilities, including greater representation in the entertainment industry.
Cranston was among those who paid tribute, remembering Mitte’s enthusiasm for acting and the years they spent working together. “I’ll miss you, son,” he wrote on Instagram.
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman in the series, also expressed his sadness. “RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed,” he said.
Dean Norris, who played Hank Schrader, recalled looking out for Mitte as a young actor on set and said he would be greatly missed.
Tributes also came from his co-stars on Switched at Birth, including actress and disability rights advocate Marlee Matlin.
“My heart is shattered. There will never be another like RJ Mitte,” she wrote on Instagram.
Lea Thompson, who also worked with Mitte on the series, remembered him as “joyous, professional and kind”, and said his work had inspired many people.
Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Mitte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three. He moved to Los Angeles in 2006 and took small television roles before joining Breaking Bad as a teenager.
He appeared in 56 episodes and was part of the cast that won the Screen Actors Guild award for outstanding ensemble in a drama series in 2014.
His other TV credits include Now Apocalypse and The Guardians of Justice. On film, he appeared in The Recall and The Oak Room, among other projects.
In the 2021 drama Triumph, he played a high school student with cerebral palsy determined to become a wrestler, continuing his work portraying characters whose experiences reflected aspects of his own.
Away from acting, Mitte served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, as well as leading the Mitte Foundation and supporting philanthropic and community initiatives. His representatives highlighted his efforts to challenge stereotypes and improve opportunities for people with disabilities.
