Cause of Death for ‘Breaking Bad’ Actor RJ Mitte Confirmed as Suicide

Representatives for RJ Mitte, the actor best known for his portrayal of Walter White Jr. on the hit series “Breaking Bad,” have confirmed that his death was ruled a suicide.

The confirmation was provided to People magazine on Monday evening. Mitte, who was 34 years old, was found dead at his residence in Brownsville, Texas. According to reports, the Brownsville Police Department received a call at 12:50 p.m. local time and discovered the actor at the scene.

While initial reports from the BPD stated that the manner of death was pending further investigation, his representative subsequently verified that the cause was suicide.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” his rep said in a statement earlier on Monday. The representative highlighted that Mitte drew upon his personal experience living with cerebral palsy to bring authenticity to his role and established a platform focused on disability awareness and inclusion.

Mitte rose to fame playing the son of Bryan Cranston’s Walter White and Anna Gunn’s Holly White in the Vince Gilligan-created drama. The show aired from 2008 to 2013, and Mitte appeared in every season. Like his character, the actor had cerebral palsy.

Beyond his landmark role, Mitte built a diverse career with appearances in television series such as “Switched at Birth,” “Robot Chicken,” “On Hiatus with Monty Geer,” “This Close,” “Now Apocalypse,” and “The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!).” His filmography also includes “Dixieland,” “Who’s Driving Doug,” “The Recall,” “Mower Boy,” “Time Share,” and “The Oak Room.”

Early in his career, he starred in short films like “Stump” and “Weird Science 2: Strange Chemistry,” as well as the feature “House of Last Things.” At the time of his death, Mitte was actively promoting his upcoming movie “Talking to Strangers” and had several other projects in various stages of production and pre-production.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.