RJ Mitte, the actor best known for playing Walter “Flynn” White Jr. on AMC’s Breaking Bad, died Monday in Brownsville, Texas, at age 34. His representatives confirmed his death and remembered him as an actor, philanthropist and disability rights advocate who used his public platform to promote inclusion.
Cameron County Justice of the Peace Cyndi Hinojosa told The Associated Press that Mitte was pronounced dead at about 1:30 p.m. Monday. Local authorities initially said a cause of death had not been determined and that an autopsy would be performed. People later reported that a spokesperson for Mitte said he died by suicide, while the official local determination remained pending.
Mitte became widely known through Breaking Bad, which aired from 2008 to 2013. He appeared in 56 episodes as the teenage son of Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, and Skyler White, played by Anna Gunn.
Like Walter Jr., Mitte had cerebral palsy. His condition was milder than his character’s, and he drew on his own childhood experiences with braces, crutches and physical therapy while preparing for the role. The part made him one of the most visible performers with cerebral palsy on American television during the series’ run.
Mitte was part of the Breaking Bad cast that won the Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series in 2014. The award honored the show’s final season and recognized the cast as a group rather than Mitte individually.
His representatives said his performance also became a foundation for his work beyond acting. He spoke frequently about disability representation, accessibility and the need for performers with disabilities to have opportunities both in front of and behind the camera.
Reuters reported that Mitte served as a spokesman for performers with disabilities through the Screen Actors Guild and as a celebrity ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy. He also worked with Shriners Children’s and served as president of the Mitte Foundation, which supported charitable and community initiatives.
Mitte received the SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award at the 2013 Media Access Awards. The honor recognized his work as a performer with a disability and his role in expanding awareness of disability representation in television and film.
Roy Frank “RJ” Mitte III was born Aug. 21, 1992, in Jackson, Mississippi. He was adopted shortly after birth and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 3. During childhood, he wore leg braces and used crutches, but by his teenage years he no longer needed walking devices.
He moved to Los Angeles with his family in 2006. Acting initially became a way for him to meet people his own age, and he began training and auditioning for television work. He appeared in background roles before landing the role that changed his career.
On Breaking Bad, Walter Jr. was often called Flynn, a name the character sometimes chose for himself during conflicts with his parents. The role placed Mitte at the center of a family story shaped by Walter White’s secret criminal life and the damage it caused at home.
After Breaking Bad, Mitte continued working in television and film. His credits included Switched at Birth, Now Apocalypse, The Guardians of Justice, The Recall, The Oak Room, Time Share and Triumph. In Triumph, he played a high school wrestler with cerebral palsy and also served as an executive producer.
Mitte had recently been promoting the film Talking to Strangers. People reported that he attended a Beverly Hills screening of the movie on Sept. 30 and appeared at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on Oct. 4 with Breaking Bad co-star Luis Moncada.
In 2025, Mitte became engaged to his longtime partner, Kennedy Suarez. People reported that he proposed during the Dia del Sol gala in Carlsbad, California, an event benefiting United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego.
News of Mitte’s death prompted tributes from colleagues and disability advocates. Breaking Bad cast members Aaron Paul and Dean Norris were among those who publicly remembered him, while other performers and collaborators praised his kindness and his efforts to improve representation for disabled people.
Mitte’s advocacy was closely tied to his own career. He repeatedly discussed how being cast in a major television series gave him a chance to show audiences a disabled character as part of an ordinary family rather than as a stereotype or a lesson.
That visibility helped make Walter Jr. an important part of the wider conversation about disability on television. Mitte continued to argue that disabled performers should have access to a broader range of roles, including characters whose stories are not defined entirely by disability.
His representatives described him as a passionate advocate who challenged stereotypes and pushed for greater inclusion. They also asked for privacy for his family as they mourned his death.
Because public reports about the cause of death developed throughout Monday, some accounts differed. The Associated Press and CBS News reported that local authorities had not yet announced an official cause and that an autopsy was expected, while People later reported that a spokesperson confirmed suicide.
Mitte was 34 and had remained active professionally in the weeks before his death. His final years included acting, producing and public appearances tied to both entertainment and disability advocacy.
In the United States, anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.