In brief
US actor RJ Mitte, best known for playing the defiant son of drug kingpin Walter White in the Emmy‑winning series *Breaking Bad*, died in Brownsville, Texas at the age of 34. Mitte, who lived with cerebral palsy, used his lived experience to bring authenticity to his role and became a prominent disability rights advocate, founding the Mitte Foundation and serving as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s. A 2014 Screen Actors Guild Award winner, he also appeared in other television shows such as *Hannah Montana* and *Switched at Birth*, and his latest project, *Talking to Strangers*, was released earlier this year. His unexpected passing leaves a profound void in both the entertainment community and the broader movement for disability inclusion.
RJ Mitte, the actor who portrayed the spirited son of drug kingpin Walter White in the Emmy‑winning series Breaking Bad, died in Brownsville, Texas at the age of 34. He was a trailblazer in disability rights and a philanthropist who founded the Mitte Foundation to champion inclusion for people with disabilities.
Mitte, who was born with cerebral palsy, used his lived experience to bring authenticity to his role, earning a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2014. He also served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and his work extended beyond the screen to build platforms for advocacy.
He began his acting journey after moving to Los Angeles in 2005 to support his younger sister’s career. The first audition that set him on this path was for a state anti‑meth public service announcement, a theme that echoes in the dark journey of Breaking Bad.
Mitte’s legacy extends to other TV credits, including Hannah Montana, Switched at Birth and the recent drama Talking to Strangers. His passing leaves a void in the entertainment community and in the movement for disability inclusion.
