RJ Mitte, 'Breaking Bad' Star and Disability Advocate, Dies at 34

RJ Mitte, the actor who played Walter White Jr. on "Breaking Bad," has died at 34. A representative confirmed the news to Variety. No cause of death was immediately disclosed.

Mitte starred as the son of Bryan Cranston and Anna Gunn's characters on the Vince Gilligan drama, widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows ever made. Like his character Walt Jr., Mitte had cerebral palsy (a condition caused by brain damage affecting movement and coordination). His performance put the condition in front of millions of viewers, and he spent his career pushing Hollywood to do better on disability representation.

What did his representatives say?

"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte," a representative said in a statement. "Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion."

That authenticity was the through-line of his public life. He served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children's. He also ran his own charity, the Mitte Foundation, which backed philanthropic efforts while challenging stereotypes about people with disabilities.

What was he working on?

Mitte stayed busy to the end. Days before his death, he appeared on podcasts promoting his new movie, "Talking to Strangers." He had a handful of projects in pre-production and production.

His other credits include:

• Mind Master in the Netflix superhero series "The Guardians of Justice"
• "The Recall" (2017)
• "The Oak Room" (2020)
• A recurring role on "Switched at Birth"

He was engaged to his long-term partner, Kennedy Suarez, whom he had dated since 2018.

Where did his story begin?

Mitte was born in Jackson, Mississippi. He suffered brain damage at birth and was then adopted. Doctors diagnosed his cerebral palsy at age 3. Decades later, that diagnosis became the foundation of a career that changed how television depicted disability — not as a plot device, but as lived experience. His death leaves that advocacy without its most familiar face.

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