RJ Mitte, Star of Breaking Bad, Dies at 34

RJ Mitte, the actor best known for playing Walter White Jr. in the Emmy-winning drama series Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 34. According to his representatives, Mitte died on Monday in Brownsville, Texas, after taking his own life.

No official cause of death has been announced.

Mitte, who has cerebral palsy, drew upon his personal experiences to bring authenticity to his portrayal of Walter White Jr. in the critically acclaimed series, which starred Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. His performance earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2014.

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Mitte was a prominent disability rights advocate and philanthropist. He served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children's. And created The Mitte Foundation to support philanthropic efforts and community initiatives.

He told the BBC in 2021 that "Whenever awards season rolls around, we always hope to see a diverse group of projects that reflect all of us, in body and mind," Mitte also said that "Watching the awareness grow around disability representation has been great to see, but breakthroughs sometimes come in pieces and moments instead of larger change,".

Throughout its five-season run, Mitte's portrayal of Walter White's son Walter Jr. drew on the life of Vince Gilligan's late friend. Whose cerebral palsy and reliance on forearm crutches were more pronounced than Mitte's own experience.

"Fast forward to auditioning for Breaking Bad, which is still, observers note, an anti-meth thing because it doesn't end well for anyone," Mitte said on the Joe Vulpis Podcast earlier this month.

The actor's portrayal was marked by a refreshing authenticity. As he seamlessly integrated humor into his character's narrative, a trait that began to manifest during his teenage years. At that time, his health struggles were mercifully absent from the show's depiction.

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Mitte's other on-screen credits include Hannah Montana. Switched at Birth, Westhampton and his latest project, Talking to Strangers, which came out earlier this year.

"I'll miss you, son." Bryan Cranston wrote in a statement. "RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed,".

His representatives said: "Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion."