RJ Mitte, Breaking Bad's Walter White Jr., Dies at 34

RJ Mitte, the actor who brought Walter White Jr. to life on AMC's "Breaking Bad" and became one of television's most visible advocates for disability rights, has died at age 34, authorities and his representatives said.

Cameron County Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa told The Associated Press on Monday that she declared Mitte dead at about 1:30 p.m. at what she believed was his home in Brownsville, Texas. She could not immediately provide a cause of death, and said an autopsy would be performed. On Tuesday, Mitte's representatives confirmed that he died by suicide, according to the AP.

Mitte played Walter White Jr., the son of Bryan Cranston's chemistry-teacher-turned-meth-dealer Walter White, in nearly every episode of the five-season series, which ran from 2008 to 2013 and won 16 Emmy Awards. Cast at just 14 years old, Mitte drew on his own experience living with cerebral palsy to portray a teenager whose condition mirrored his own — a rare case of authentic casting that deepened one of television's most memorable family dramas.

Bryan Cranston said he was in "deep despair" over the loss, writing in a social media post Monday night that he first met Mitte when the young actor was only 14. Cranston recalled that Mitte "never — ever — allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything," and said he met the show's demanding shooting schedule "with great determination." Tributes also poured in from co-stars Aaron Paul and Dean Norris, actor Marlee Matlin, and disability advocates across Hollywood.

Off screen, Mitte served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children's, and led the Mitte Foundation, a family charity supporting education, health and scholarship programs in South Texas. Mitte was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1992 and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 3. After the series ended, he continued acting and had been promoting a new film, "Talking to Strangers." He was engaged to his partner of eight years, Kennedy Suarez.

Editor's note: This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know needs help in the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Sources

• The Associated Press — "RJ Mitte, 'Breaking Bad' actor and disability rights champion, dies at 34" (Oct 14, 2026)
• The Times of India — tributes from Breaking Bad co-stars (Oct 14, 2026)
• Daily Sabah — "'Breaking Bad' actor, disability rights advocate RJ Mitte dies at 34" (Oct 14, 2026)