Pop CultureOctober 13, 20263 min readBy Peter OlaleruEditor & Founder

RJ Mitte, Who Made Walter White Jr. More Than a Diagnosis, Dies at 34

RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. on Breaking Bad and advocated for disability representation, was found dead at his Texas home. He was 34.

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Black and gray wheelchair on a beach during daytime, for a story on RJ Mitte

RJ Mitte, the actor who played Walter White Jr. across all five seasons of Breaking Bad and spent his career pushing for disability representation, was found dead at his home in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday. He was 34.

His representatives confirmed the death in a statement, describing him as a "beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate" who drew from his own experience living with cerebral palsy and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion. A publicist confirmed news reports that Mitte took his own life. No further details about the circumstances were given.

Brownsville police said no foul play was suspected. A Cameron County justice of the peace said an autopsy would be performed.

Mitte was a Mississippi native diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 3. He began with small roles on Everybody Hates Chris and Hannah Montana before being cast as Walter White Jr. at 15.

Bryan Cranston, who played his on-screen father, said he was in "deep despair" and recalled meeting Mitte when he was 14. "RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died," Cranston wrote.

Mitte's final public appearance is believed to have been the Sept. 30 premiere of his film Talking to Strangers.

Mitte used that visibility to press for disability awareness and inclusion, work that carried its own weight: being a public face for a community while navigating a demanding career. His death at 34 puts a spotlight on the person behind that advocacy, and on what it costs to carry it.

Sources

  1. [1]huffpost.com
  2. [2]uk.news.yahoo.com
  3. [3]theguardian.com
  4. [4]huffingtonpost.co.uk
  5. [5]Photo: Unsplash
Peter Olaleru

Editor & Founder

Peter Olaleru

Peter is the founder and editor of Measured Take and a cybersecurity professional. He leads our news, fact checks, sport and guides from around the world, with a particular eye on cyber attacks, data breaches, scams, AI and misinformation.

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