Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte dies by suicide at 34

Actor RJ Mitte, who was best known for playing Walter White Jr in the television show Breaking Bad, died on Monday at age 34 in Brownsville, Texas.

The talent management agency representing the actor shared a statement that read, “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” the statement said. As per a report by People, his representative said that the actor died by suicide.

Mitte’s role as Walter White Jr earned him a lot of acclaim, as he drew from his real life to play the character with cerebral palsy. In the show, he played the son of Bryan Cranston’s Walter White, a terminally ill high school teacher who slips into a life of crime by turning into a drug lord.

During a recent appearance on Joe Vulpis Podcast, RJ Mitte said that the audition for Breaking Bd was “one of the longest auditions of my life” as it went on for six months. “The casting director broke her leg skiing. So she had a cast on and crutches. [During] one of my auditions, she’s like, ‘Here, take my crutches.’ Because I’ve never used crutches,” he recalled.

He shared, “I was one of the very last main cast to be in the series. I already missed the cast dinner. So, when I did my audition, they were like, ‘Okay, cool. We’re gonna fly you to New Mexico tomorrow.’ I had a 6 a.m. flight to Albuquerque. Flew to Albuquerque, got in, went straight to the hotel, didn’t even check in.”

Breaking Bad ended its television run in 2013 and is still remembered as one of the most memorable shows of all time. Later, Mitte played a high school wrestler with cerebral palsy in 2021 film Triumph.

He also served as a Screen Actors Guild spokesman for performers with disabilities, and ​was a celebrity ambassador for the United Cerebral Palsy foundation.

Story continues below this ad

DISCLAIMER: If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time, struggling with emotional distress, or having thoughts of self-harm, please know that you are not alone and support is available. Reaching out to a compassionate professional or confidential support service can make a vital difference.

HELP IS A CALL AWAY
MENTAL HEALTH HELPLINE NUMBERS

AASRA
Contact: 9820466726
Email: aasrahelpline@yahoo.com
Timings: 24×7
Languages: English, Hindi
Snehi
Contact: 9582208181
Email: snehi.india@gmail.com
Timings: 10am – 10pm, all days
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
Fortis MentalHealth
Contact: 8376804102
Timings: 24×7; All days
Languages: Achiku, Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Connecting NGO
Contact: 9922004305, 9922001122
Email: distressmailsconnecting@gmail.com
Timings: 12pm – 8pm; All days
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi
Vandrevala Foundation
Contact: 18602662345
Email: help@vandrevalafoundation.com
Timings: 24×7
Languages: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and English