Bryan Cranston is said to be in a “deep desolation” following the news of the death of his Breaking Bad co-star, RJ Mitte, at the age of 34. The actor, who played Cranston’s son in the AMC series, took his own life, according to his representative. In an emotional tribute on Instagram, he remembered Mitte as his “sweet son” and reflected on the many years they spent together, both in front of and behind the cameras.
Mitte was best known for his breakout role in one of the 21st century’s most prestigious series, where he portrayed Walter White’s only son, a high school teacher with a terminal illness who is drawn into a secret criminal life by manufacturing methamphetamine. Breaking Bad aired from 2008 to 2013 and won 16 Emmy awards, including two for Outstanding Drama Series. The deceased actor was 14 years old when he was cast for the pilot episode, the filming of which began in 2007.
“I met him when he was only 14, when he was chosen to play Walter White Jr., a role he performed with such joy and enthusiasm,” Cranston wrote. “Born with cerebral palsy, he never—never—allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything. He faced the demanding filming schedule with great determination. He always listened to the advice his parents gave him on the show (Anna Gunn and me), but, as a typical teenager, sometimes he would ignore it with a touch of mischief to learn the hard way.”
Cranston recalled also how Mitte was still “pretty green” when they began filming the pilot episode of Breaking Bad in February 2007. And he marvels at how “little by little we saw him become a truly excellent actor.” He also highlighted that Mitte made use of “his experience on the show to become a firm advocate for performers with disabilities and the director of a philanthropic organization dedicated to helping the community of people with disabilities. All that promise and potential now represent a great loss.”
His Last Conversation
“It’s especially devastating to learn that he took his own life,” lamented Bryan Cranston on the death of RJ Mitte. “Why? Just a few weeks ago we were texting to see when we could meet for a meal. I don’t know if that meal would have changed his future… But I do know that I loved him and that I enjoyed his company throughout all those years on the show, and also after the Breaking Bad lights went out. I will miss you, son.”
Bryan Cranston and RJ Mitte in Breaking Bad.
The last time the two reunited at an event with the Breaking Bad cast was at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards. But since the end of the series, Mitte had highlighted that there remained “a very strong bond” between him and Cranston, as well as with his on-screen mother, Anna Gunn.
“There are certainly many family dynamics when you work with such a close group for so many years,” the young actor said on Cassius Morris’s podcast in 2021. In fact, Mitte added: “I respect them as much as I respect my mother and father.” And, reflecting on Breaking Bad’s enduring success, he noted that it was something that “really changes your life.” At that time, we didn’t really realize the impact the show would have.
Tributes from his colleagues
Shortly after Mitte’s death, his other co-star, Aaron Paul, reacted to the tragic news as well. “I don’t know what to say,” the actor who played Jesse Pinkman told The Hollywood Reporter. “This news has broken my heart. RJ, I love you, my friend. We will miss you. And to anyone reading this, please know that you are loved and that you are not alone. Always remember that.”
For his part, on-screen uncle Dean Norris wrote on his Twitter account: “Although RJ did not play my son on the show, I always looked out for him when he was a kid on the set. He was a charming young man and will be greatly missed. This is so heartbreaking I can’t believe it. My thoughts are with him and his family.”
