RJ Mitte dies at 34: What happened to the Breaking Bad star who played Walter White Jr.

RJ Mitte, the actor who played Walter White Jr in Breaking Bad, has died at 34. While the AMC series brought him widespread recognition, Mitte also used his experience living with cerebral palsy to raise awareness about disability and promote greater inclusion.

Mitte died Monday in Brownsville, Texas, where he had moved, NBC News reported. His representatives confirmed his death but did not disclose a cause. Brownsville Justice of the Peace Judge Cyndi Hinojosa said she declared him dead at 1:32 p.m. and could not provide further details about the cause, as per a NBC News report.

RJ Mitte Spoke About Growing Up With Cerebral Palsy

Mitte's experience growing up with cerebral palsy shaped his perspective on how people with disabilities were perceived. In a 2021 interview with Big Issue, he recalled that some people had doubted whether he would be able to walk or talk properly or have a typical life and career.


Mitte said, “That was the perception when I was a kid,” adding, “And my family was like, ‘No. He’s going to go do things,’” as quoted by NBC News.

His family's support helped him pursue opportunities in acting eventually leading to his breakout role in Breaking Bad. Mitte played Walter White Jr, the teenage son of Bryan Cranston's character. Like Mitte, his character had cerebral palsy.

The show's popularity also helped him build a platform for disability awareness and inclusion. His representatives said “Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion,” as quoted by NBC News.

How Breaking Bad Changed RJ Mitte’s Career

Breaking Bad premiered in January 2008, when Mitte was 15, and ran for five seasons until 2013. The series followed a high school teacher who becomes a methamphetamine producer.

The show got 58 Primetime Emmy nominations and won 16 awards including two for Outstanding Drama Series. Mitte was part of the cast that won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2014 and the cast had also been nominated in the category in the two preceding years.

In a 2021 interview with Big Issue, Mitte discussed the role that critical reception played in keeping the show on the air during its early seasons. He said “It wasn’t the viewers, because we didn’t have the numbers to stay as a network show," adding that it wasn’t until later seasons that “we really got the viewership,” as quoted by NBC News.

RJ Mitte Movies and TV Shows

Following his breakout role, Mitte appeared in several film and television productions. His film credits included the 2017 science fiction film The Recall and the 2020 horror film The Oak Room.

In the 2021 drama Triumph, he played a high school senior determined to become a wrestler despite having cerebral palsy. He later appeared opposite Dove Cameron in Love Me Dead in 2024 and opposite Finn Wittrock in Westhampton in 2025.

According to IMDb, his most recent credit was the independent film Talking to Strangers, in which he starred opposite Lin Yin.

His television credits included Switched at Birth, Now Apocalypse and The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!). He also voiced a role in HCBS Final Rule: The Animated Series, a series of shorts designed to highlight changes to community-based services for people with intellectual disabilities in California.

RJ Mitte’s Work Extended Beyond Acting

Mitte also supported disability related organizations and philanthropic initiatives. He served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s and was president of The Mitte Foundation, which supported philanthropic efforts and community initiatives.

His representatives described him as an actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate. They also asked for privacy for his family and loved ones following his death.

Hinojosa remembered Mitte warmly, saying he had been gracious to the Brownsville community. Information about his survivors and memorial service was not immediately available.