Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris Mourn 'Breaking Bad' Co-Star RJ Mitte
The cast of the acclaimed series expressed profound sadness following the news of Mitte's death at 34.
Bryan Cranston, who played the father of RJ Mitte's character on "Breaking Bad," expressed "deep despair" Monday evening over the tragic death of his co-star at age 34. Mitte, who portrayed Walter White Jr. on the hit AMC series, died by suicide.
Cranston shared on Instagram that he met Mitte when he was 14 years old. "He never – ever – allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything," Cranston wrote, referring to Mitte's cerebral palsy. "He met the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination."
"We watched him grow into a really fine actor," Cranston added. "He parlayed his experience on the show to be a vocal advocate for performers with disabilities, and was the head of a philanthropic organization with a focus on helping the disabled community."
Cranston lamented Mitte's death, questioning "Why?" He recalled texting with Mitte just weeks prior about meeting for lunch. "I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future," Cranston wrote, concluding, "I do know that I loved him, and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series."
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, released a statement expressing his heartbreak. "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, who portrayed Mitte's uncle Hank Schrader, shared his grief on X, formerly Twitter. "He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed," Norris wrote. "This is so heartbreaking, I can’t believe it. Thinking of him and his family."
According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Mitte died Monday in Texas. A county official confirmed the actor's death, and a death investigation is ongoing.
Mitte's representative confirmed his passing in a statement, highlighting his role as Walter "Flynn" White Jr. and his advocacy for disability awareness and inclusion. "Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion," the statement read.