Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte dies at age 34

Actor and disability rights advocate RJ Mitte has died at the age of 34, according to reports from Deadline, BBC News, the AV Club, and Variety. His representative confirmed his passing to several outlets, including BBC News and Variety. BBC News reported that Mitte died in Brownsville, Texas. While BBC News and Variety noted that no immediate cause of death was provided, the AV Club reported that TMZ cited suicide as the cause and noted that an investigation is ongoing. [1][2][3][4][7]

Mitte was best known for his role as Walter White Jr. on the AMC drama series Breaking Bad. In statements provided to BBC News and The Hollywood Reporter, his representatives remembered him as a beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate. His former co-star Dean Norris publicly expressed that he was heartbroken over the news, Deadline reported. [1][2][3]

Mitte lived with cerebral palsy and drew on his personal experiences to portray Walter White Jr., a character who also had cerebral palsy and used crutches. Breaking Bad was created by Vince Gilligan and also starred Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, and Aaron Paul. During his time on the series, Mitte earned a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast. [2][3][7][12][14]

Variety noted that Mitte used his career to advocate for greater disability representation across the entertainment industry. [4]