RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. on AMC’s Breaking Bad, was declared dead Monday in Brownsville, Texas at age 34.
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Actor and disability rights advocate RJ Mitte has died at the age of 34, authorities and his representatives said.
Cameron County Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa declared Mitte dead at about 1:30 p.m. at what she believed was his home in Brownsville, Texas. She said she was unable to provide a cause of death, and an autopsy will be performed.
Mitte was best known for portraying Walter White Jr., the son of Walter White, on nearly every episode of the five-season series Breaking Bad, which aired from 2008 to 2013. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 3.
Mitte said in 2014 that his disability and the struggles around physical therapy, family problems, and medical bills helped him in his work on the show, adding that he viewed it as an asset rather than a hindrance.
Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Mitte moved to Los Angeles in 2006 and later landed small guest roles before starting his Breaking Bad work in 2007, when he was in his mid-teens.
In a statement announcing his death, his representatives said he brought authenticity to the role and used his platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation. They also noted his later credits, including the ABC Family series Switched at Birth and the superhero satire series Guardians of Justice.
Mitte also served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and he was president of his own Mitte Foundation supporting philanthropic and community initiatives around disabilities.
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