RJ Mitte, Breaking Bad Actor, Dies by Suicide

RJ Mitte, the actor recognized for his portrayal of Walter White Jr. in the acclaimed television series "Breaking Bad," died by suicide on Monday in Brownsville, Texas. He was 31.

Mitte's childhood acting coach and mentor, Addison Witt, shared previously unseen footage of the actor's early career with the Daily Mail. The video documents a talent showcase from 2006, which Witt described as the event that launched Mitte's path to stardom.

Witt recalled accompanying Mitte to his audition for "Breaking Bad" in Los Angeles. Following the audition, production staff arranged for Mitte to travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to meet the show's cast. "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan had sought an actor with mild cerebral palsy to portray Walter White Jr., a role for which Mitte, who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child, was well-suited.

Mitte's performance as the son of Walter White, a chemistry teacher who becomes a methamphetamine manufacturer, earned critical acclaim. He starred alongside Bryan Cranston, who played Walter White.

Witt described Mitte as being like a son, expressing deep devastation at the news of his death. He shared the audition footage as he grappled with the loss of his former protégé. "The 2006 showcase was Mitte's first recorded stage performance, when he was 13 years old," Witt stated, adding that the event was hosted by him at a small studio in Sherman Oaks, California.

Witt recounted how Mitte's fame from "Breaking Bad" led to him being recognized even while traveling internationally, citing an instance at the Champs-Élysées Film Festival in Paris. Mitte proposed to his girlfriend, Kennedy Suarez, in October of the previous year at a charity event benefiting United Cerebral Palsy.

Mitte made his professional acting debut in 2006. His role in "Breaking Bad" propelled him to wider recognition, and he continued to act in various projects following the series' conclusion in 2013.