RJ Mitte, 34, made his final public appearance just eight days before his death by suicide in Texas.
The “Breaking Bad” actor was photographed on Sept. 30 at a screening of his new film “Talking to Strangers” at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills, California. He also sat down for the Stauros Entertainment podcast on Oct. 2, where he discussed playing a man with cerebral palsy caught in a love affair.
Mitte, who himself lived with cerebral palsy, praised the project for “pushing social norms” and “stepping out of the realm of comfort,” and he raved about working with an “amazing” cast and an “awesome” director. The actor was diagnosed with the condition at age 3, and he drew from that experience throughout his career.
“I think everyone that has a disability has the opportunity to make an impact with what they can do and who they are,” he told the Badger Herald in 2015. “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do today if it wasn’t for my disability and what it instilled in me.”
His representative confirmed the death to the outlet on Monday with a statement mourning the “tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte.” The rep noted that beyond his acting work, Mitte served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and as president of The Mitte Foundation, which supports philanthropic efforts and community initiatives.
“He also served as president of The Mitte Foundation, supporting philanthropic efforts and community initiatives, while using his platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities,” the representative continued. The statement concluded with a request for privacy for Mitte’s family and close ones.
A county official confirmed that the actor died in Texas and that the death investigation remains ongoing.
While audiences knew him best as Walter “Flynn” White Jr. On AMC’s critically acclaimed series “Breaking Bad,” Mitte built a résumé spanning television and film. His additional credits included “Switched at Birth,” “The Guardians of Justice,” and “Now Apocalypse.” In every role, he leveraged his platform to advance disability awareness and inclusion.
The representative emphasized that Mitte “brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion” through his portrayal of Walter White Jr. That performance, grounded in his own lived experience, made him one of the most visible actors with a disability in Hollywood and opened doors for conversations about representation that he continued to champion until his final days.
