Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte dies aged 34

RIP

His representatives announced his death in a statement, describing him as a beloved actor, philanthropist and disability rights advocate.

"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte," they said.

According to People, police were called to his home in Brownsville at 12:50 p.m. local time, where the actor was found dead.

His representative later confirmed that Mitte had died by suicide.

He turned personal experience into advocacy

Mitte rose to fame in the Emmy-winning series, appearing alongside Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul. 

As someone who also had cerebral palsy, he brought personal experience to his portrayal of Walter White Jr and used his platform to raise awareness of disability.

His work beyond acting also focused heavily on disability inclusion. He supported organisations including United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children's, while launching The Mitte Foundation to back charitable initiatives and community projects.

Speaking to the BBC, his representative Sean Reilly said Mitte had brought ‘authenticity to the role’ while helping to advance disability awareness and inclusion.

Reilly added that the actor had used his public profile ‘to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities’.