Hollywood mourns the sudden death of actor RJ Mitte at the age of 34. The performer, who rose to fame for bringing to life Walter White’s son in the series ‘Breaking Bad’, lived with cerebral palsy, a condition that many of his characters (including the one in ‘Breaking Bad’) portrayed with a natural ease in one way or another.
No official cause of death has been released, though TMZ claims it was suicide. His death certificate is expected to be made public in the coming hours.
RJ Mitte’s death, whose real name was Roy Frank Mitte III, was confirmed via a brief statement issued by his representative: “With deep sadness we announce the tragic passing of the beloved actor, philanthropist, and fervent advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, RJ Mitte.”
Mitte was born in August 1992 in Mississippi and at the age of 3 he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which forced him to spend his adolescence strapped to crutches. At 16 he received the big break of his life when Vince Gilligan hired him to portray Walter White Jr. in ‘Breaking Bad’. The show was a worldwide phenomenon, and the rest is history.
From there, he built a solid career that blended roles in TV shows and films with philanthropy. He participated in The Mitte Foundation, created by his grandparents, and in other NGOs with the aim of making visible people with cerebral palsy like him and promoting their integration into society.
In October of last year he had become engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Kennedy Suarez.
The emotional words from the cast of ‘Breaking Bad’
After the news of his death broke, Hollywood has flooded social networks with tributes to the young RJ Mitte, with special attention from his fellow cast members. One of the most moving messages came from his on-screen father, Bryan Cranston, who recalls that “I met him when he was only 14, when he was cast to portray Walter White Jr., a role he embodied with so much joy and enthusiasm”.
“He always listened to the advice his fictional parents, Anna Gunn and I, gave him, though, as a typical teenager, he sometimes brushed them off with a cheeky attitude to learn the hard way…” He was one of the stars of a successful series, but he remained a boy”, Cranston wrote, affirming that “little by little we watched him become a truly extraordinary actor”.
“It is especially devastating to learn that he took his own life,” Cranston reflects. “Why? Just a few weeks ago we were texting to see when we could meet for a meal. I don’t know if that meal would have changed his future…” “I’ll miss you, son,” the actor concludes.
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