RJ Mitte’s cause of death has been confirmed as suicide, following the death of the Breaking Bad actor in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday. He was 34.
Mitte’s representative, Sean Reilly, confirmed the cause of death to USA Today. Investigations remain ongoing, while his family has asked for privacy.
In a statement, representatives described Mitte as a “beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate”.
Breaking Bad co-stars pay tribute
Bryan Cranston, who played Mitte’s father Walter White in the series, said he was in “deep despair” over the actor’s death.
“RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died,” Cranston said. “I met him when he was only 14 years old when he was cast as Walter White Jr, a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm.”
Cranston said Mitte, who was born with cerebral palsy, had never allowed the condition to be an excuse and had faced the show’s demanding filming schedule with determination.
He added that Mitte had used his experience on the programme to advocate for performers with disabilities and support the disabled community through his philanthropic work.
“All that promise and potential now is such a loss,” Cranston said. “It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why?”
The pair had been exchanging messages a few weeks earlier about arranging lunch, Cranston said. “I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future … But I do know that I loved him,” he added. “I’ll miss you, son.”
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, said he was “at a loss” and described himself as heartbroken.
“RJ, I love you, my friend. You will be missed,” Paul said. “Please know you are loved, and you are not alone. Always remember that.”
Dean Norris, who played Hank Schrader, said he had looked out for Mitte when he was a young actor on set. He remembered him as “a sweetheart of a young man” and said he was thinking of his family.
Bob Odenkirk, who portrayed Saul Goodman, described Mitte as “a good person” who made time to help others. “Whenever I saw him, he was meeting the world with positivity and a strong desire to connect,” he said.
Life beyond Breaking Bad
Mitte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three and used leg braces and crutches during much of his childhood. Through exercise and sport, he became stronger and no longer needed walking aids by his teenage years.
His own experience informed his performance as Walter White Jr, who also had cerebral palsy. Mitte later served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and was president of the Mitte Foundation, which worked to challenge stereotypes about disability.
He joined Breaking Bad at 16 and appeared in 56 episodes. He later worked as an actor and producer, including a role as Mind Master in The Guardians Of Justice (Will Save You!) in 2022.
His most recent project was the film One Eye Open, in which he played Brad Everett. The film is due to be released later this week.
In his final interview, Mitte spoke about the pressure he had placed on himself after achieving success at a young age.
“I set a bar for myself as a young man that is kind of unobtainable,” he said. “It’s a long way down from the top of the mountain; it’s a great view, but you can’t always stay up there forever, and so you have to find that next mountain.”
Mitte said he wanted to continue securing funding for projects and providing resources for others, adding that his greatest achievement was giving back.
“Just keep living it, just keep pushing forward,” he said. “As long as my family is healthy and happy, I’m happy.”
Mitte is survived by his parents and his younger sister, Lacianne.
