RJ Mitte, the actor who played Walter White Jr. on AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” died Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Brownsville, Texas. He was 34. His representative confirmed he died by suicide.
Cameron County Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa said she declared Mitte dead at about 1:30 p.m. Monday at what she believed was his home in Brownsville. Hinojosa said she was unable to provide a cause of death, and that an autopsy would be performed.
Brownsville police received a call at about 12:50 p.m. on Oct. 12, and officers who responded found Mitte dead at his home, the department said.
Mitte’s representatives said in a statement: “It is with profound sadness we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte.”
The representatives continued: “RJ Mitte was best known for his role as Walter ‘Flynn’ White Jr. on AMC’s critically acclaimed, award-winning series Breaking Bad. Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.”
They added: “Beyond entertaining friends and family around the world, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s.”
A Career Built on Advocacy
Mitte had cerebral palsy, which doctors diagnosed when he was three. He played Walter White Jr., the teenage son at the center of the Albuquerque meth saga, across all five seasons of the Emmy-winning drama.
Mitte spent much of his career pushing for broader representation of people with disabilities on screen, and he became one of the industry’s most visible advocates for disabled performers. He told TMZ in 2019 about the shortage of roles and recognition for disabled actors, arguing that the industry needed far more representation than it was offering.
Mitte told BBC Newsnight in 2015, in a conversation about how he broke into the film business and what it meant to work as an actor with a disability: “Disabled or not, everyone deserves an opportunity.”
From Mississippi to Hollywood
Mitte was born and raised in Jackson, Miss. He moved to Los Angeles in 2006 and landed “Breaking Bad” in 2007. He later appeared on the ABC Family series “Switched at Birth,” produced several independent films and served as president of his own Mitte Foundation.
His other credits include “The Oak Room,” “The Recall,” “The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!),” “Triumph” and “Standing Up for Sunny.” Mitte was actively promoting a new movie, “Talking to Strangers,” before his death.
Mitte was engaged to Kennedy Suarez, and he proposed after the two dated for years. He took a hot air balloon ride with “Breaking Bad” costar Luis Moncada at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on Oct. 4, and the balloon company said he smiled throughout the flight. Moncada said on “TMZ Live” on Oct. 13 that Mitte had recently been “dealing with heavy issues.”
Costars Pay Tribute
Bryan Cranston, who played Mitte’s on-screen father, wrote on Instagram: “I’ll miss you, son.” Cranston also wrote: “All that promise and potential now is such a loss. It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why?” He said he and Mitte “were texting each other just a few weeks ago, figuring out when we could meet for lunch.”
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, told The Hollywood Reporter: “I am at a loss. I am heartbroken over this news. RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed. And to whoever happens to be reading this, please know you are loved, and you are not alone. Always remember that.”
Dean Norris, Mitte’s onscreen uncle, wrote on X: “Oh my God! Was working just found out about RJ I am heartbroken Though RJ didn’t play my TV son, I always looked out for him as a young kid on set. He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed.”
Tributes from fans and fellow performers circulated as word of his death spread, many of them describing a young actor in a part written around a disability he lived with and arguing that the business had room for more people like him.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline operates 24 hours a day. People can call or text 988, and an online chat option is also available.
