RJ Mitte, the actor best known for his role as the son of Walter White in the television series “Breaking Bad,” died on Monday, aged 34.
He died in Brownsville, Texas, the Cameron County Justice of the Peace, Cyndi Hinojosa, told the Associated Press. She did not provide a cause of death.
Mr. Mitte had cerebral palsy and used his experience to inform his role as Walter “Flynn” White Jr, the son of Bryan Cranston’s high school chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin, on the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series.
He appeared in 56 episodes of the show, which aired from 2008 to 2013, according to IMDb.
Mr. Mitte told the Future of Personal Health website in 2025 that he had spent his life “learning how to adapt and turn challenges into strengths. Acting became an extension of that.”
In a tribute shared on social media, Cranston said he met Mr. Mitte, whom he described as “my sweet son on Breaking Bad,” when Mr. Mitte was cast as Walter White Jr. at the age of 14.
He said he watched Mr. Mitte grow into “a really fine actor” and praised his advocacy for performers with disabilities.
“I do know that I loved him, and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series, and after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmed,” he said. “I’ll miss you, son.”
In a statement confirming his death shared with multiple media outlets, Mr. Mitte’s representative said he “brought authenticity to his role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.”
He used his platform “to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities,” the statement added.
Mr. Mitte was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1992, his IMDb profile said. He moved to Hollywood in 2006, and soon after began working with a talent manager in Los Angeles. He appeared in Disney’s “Hannah Montana,” as well as the TV series “Switched at Birth.”
His “Switched at Birth” co-star Marlee Matlin shared a tribute from the show’s creators on social media, saying they were “completely gutted” to hear news of his death. “His amazing, goofy spirit lives on in our memory,” it said.
He is survived by his parents, Roy Franke Mitte Jr. and Dyna Mitte, as well as his sister, Lacianne Carriere.
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