Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte dies aged 34

RJ Mitte, best known for his role as Walter "Flynn" White Jr in Breaking Bad, has died aged 34 in Brownsville, Texas.

Mitte also served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy, from which he suffered.

He drew on his own experience of living with the disability for his Breaking Bad character, bringing greater awareness to the condition.

He also served as president of The Mitte Foundation, supporting philanthropic efforts and community initiatives, while using his platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities.

In a statement, his representative said: "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte."

They added that: "At this time, we ask people to respect the privacy of RJ Mitte's family and close ones."

The star's last film was Talking to Strangers (2026), in which he starred alongside Lin Yin, as a man with cerebral palsy who strikes up an unlikely friendship with an energetic young woman.

'A kind, incredible, and gentle soul'

Mitte started his career in entertainment, playing minor roles in shows such as Everybody Hates Chris and Hannah Montana.

He shot to fame in 2008 when he landed a leading role in Breaking Bad, starring as the son of mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher Walter White, who transforms into a ruthless drug kingpin.

First appearing in the series aged 15, he had a recurring role until its conclusion in 2013.

He appeared on nearly every episode of the five seasons of the AMC show, which recently ranked as the best of the 21st century in a New York Times poll.

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He also landed TV roles in Switched At Birth, Vegas, Now Apocalypse and Chance, and has featured in films such as Time Share, Dixieland and Westhampton.

Reacting to the news, Joe Vulpis, who recently interviewed Mitte for his podcast, wrote on Instagram: "I had the honour of sitting down with RJ Mitte not too long ago, and I can genuinely say he was such a kind, incredible, and gentle soul."

The episode, which was released six days ago, focussed on his role as Walter "Flynn" White Jr, an experience Mitte described as "unbelievable" and "life-changing".

(c) Sky News 2026: Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte dies aged 34