BROWNSVILLE, TX—On October 12, actor and Ambassador for the United Cerebral Palsy foundation, Roy Frank, “R.J.” Mitte III died at the age of 34. He is known for his role in the TV series “Breaking Bad” as Flynn, the son of Walter and Anna White.
Bryan Cranston who co-starred with Mitte on the series posted on social media:
“I’m in deep despair as I write tonight. R.J. Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died. I met him when he was only 14 years old when he was cast as Walter White Jr., a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm. Born with Cerebral Palsy, he never, ever allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything. He met the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination. Always listening to the advice that his TV parents (Anna Gunn and myself) gave him, but being a teenager, sometimes mischievously ignoring the counsel in order to learn the hard way. He was one of the stars on the hit TV show, but still a kid. That kid was pretty-raw when we started shooting the pilot in February 2007, but little by little we watched him grow into a really fine actor. He parlayed his experience on the show to be a vocal advocate for performers with disabilities and was the head of a philanthropic organization with focus on helping the disabled community.
All that promise and potential now is such a loss. It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why? We were texting each other just a few weeks ago, figuring out when we could meet for lunch. I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future. But I do know that I loved him and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series, and after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmer. I’ll miss you, son. I can’t stop there without imploring anyone who is contemplating suicide to please call for the support you need at 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline https://988lifeline.org There is hope.”
Mitte was born to Dyna and Roy Frank Mitte Jr. on August 24, 1992, in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised in Brownsville, TX. His parents divorced when he was an infant. His upbringing was predominantly with his mother. R.J. Mitte Jr. and R.J. Mitte III did spend time together as father and son.
At 13, Mitte’s mother was paralyzed. He became financially responsible for himself, his mother, and his sister and actress Carianne Carriere. They moved to Hollywood as teens, where his sister was an actress. R.J. made appearances on the Disney series, “Hannah Montana.”
In 2013, Mitte was the recipient of the SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award for his portrayal of Walter White Jr. on “Breaking Bad.” The Screen Actors Guild named Mitte as their spokesperson for actors with disabilities. He worked as an advocate for the inclusion of performers with disabilities in the arts and media.
