RJ Mitte’s upcoming film Forgotten Outlaw has been put on hold following the actor’s death, although its director has pledged to complete the project in honour of his wishes.
Writer, director and producer Nik Tizekker said the film was in pre-production when work stopped after Mitte died on Monday. The leading role will eventually have to be recast.
Tizekker said Mitte had been considered an ideal choice for the part because he understood the character and physically resembled the person he was due to portray.
Production will remain paused while the filmmakers decide on a replacement, with plans to resume the project when the time is right. The team had also been seeking further financing, an effort Mitte had been involved in before his death.
Mitte was also working with Tizekker on a limited series called Like It Was Yesterday, which explores near-death experiences. He had completed scenes with actress Catherine Carlen, who played his mother, and about half of the series had been filmed.
Tizekker hopes to finish and release the series if funding can be secured, despite the loss of its lead actor.
Mitte, best known for playing Walter White Jr in AMC’s Breaking Bad, died in Texas on Monday. A county official confirmed his death, which was reported as suicide; law enforcement said the investigation remains ongoing.
His representatives remembered him as an actor, philanthropist and disability rights advocate. Mitte, who lived with cerebral palsy, promoted disability awareness and greater representation in Hollywood, and served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s.
