RJ Mitte, the American actor best known for playing Walter White Jr. on the television series Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 34, according to Corriere della Sera.
The actor's representative confirmed the death to CBS News, the paper reports, and said the cause has not yet been disclosed. Mitte was found dead in Brownsville, Texas, and local police have opened an investigation into his death, according to Corriere della Sera.
"It is with deep sadness that we announce the tragic passing of the beloved actor, philanthropist and passionate advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, RJ Mitte," his representative said, in remarks reported by the BBC and cited by Corriere della Sera.
Why it matters
Mitte's role on Breaking Bad made him one of the most visible actors with a disability in contemporary television, and he used that visibility to push for broader change in how Hollywood casts and portrays disabled people.
Like his character on the show, Mitte had cerebral palsy. He was diagnosed at age three after suffering brain damage at birth, Corriere della Sera reports. His representative said he drew on that personal experience to bring authenticity to the part and to build a platform for awareness and inclusion.
That combination — a breakout role in one of the most acclaimed dramas of its era, paired with sustained advocacy — is why his death has drawn attention well beyond the show's fan base.
A career built on Breaking Bad and advocacy
In Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, Mitte played the son of the characters portrayed by Bryan Cranston and Anna Gunn. The series ran for five seasons and became a defining piece of television in the 2000s and 2010s.
As a member of the show's cast, Mitte shared in a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2014 for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series, a recognition tied to the show's final season, according to Corriere della Sera. That same year he received the SAG-AFTRA Howard Russell Award, named for the first actor with a disability to win an Academy Award, the paper reports.
Beyond Breaking Bad, his credits included the Netflix series The Guardians of Justice, a recurring role on Switched at Birth, and the films The Recall (2017) and The Oak Room (2020), per Corriere della Sera. He also had several projects in pre-production.
Corriere della Sera reports that Mitte had appeared on podcasts in the days before his death to promote a new film, Talking to Strangers.
His advocacy work ran alongside his acting. He served as an ambassador for organizations including United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children's, and led his own charitable effort, the Mitte Foundation, according to the paper.
Mitte was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and was later adopted, Corriere della Sera reports. He is survived by his partner, Kennedy Suarez, whom he had been with since 2018 and to whom he was officially engaged.
What to watch
Police in Brownsville have not announced findings from their inquiry, and no cause of death has been released. Further details are expected to come from the investigation and from Mitte's representatives.
