'My Sweet Son Has Died,' Bryan Cranston In Deep Despair After On-Screen Son RJ Mitte's Death At 34
Bryan Cranston and the whole 'Breaking Bad' cast are mourning RJ Mitte after his death at 34. Cranston revealed they had been texting about meeting for lunch just weeks earlier.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleThe whole Breaking Bad fandom has been heartbroken and shocked at the tragic passing of RJ Mitte, the actor behind 'Walter White Jr.' on the globally renowned show. Among those mourning his passing at the mere age of 34 are Breaking Bad castmates, and one of the most heartbreaking tributes came from Mitte's on-screen father, Bryan Cranston.
In an emotional tribute, Cranston revealed that the two had been texting just weeks earlier to arrange lunch, making the news even more difficult to process.
Bryan Cranston remembers RJ Mitte as his "sweet son" in emotional tribute
"I’m in deep despair as I write this tonight. RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad, has died," Bryan wrote alongside a younger photograph of the pair together. The Breaking Bad star revealed he met RJ when he was just a teen boy, a 14-year-old who was cast as 'Walter White Jr.', "a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm."
Born with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought aspects of his own experience to his performance on the show. Cranston praised him for refusing to let the condition define his ambitions and remembered watching him grow from a teenager into a capable actor over the course of the series. He recalled:
"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 of a hit TV show - but still a kid."
Cranston fondly recalled the early days of filming the show's pilot with Mitte back in February 2007, revealing how proud they all felt as they watched him grow into such a vocal advocate for disabilities. Though they were not his real parents, both Cranston and his on-screen wife, Anna Gunn, felt like proud parents watching Mitte evolve. The actor wrote:
"That kid was pretty raw when we started shooting the pilot in February of 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 a focus on helping the disabled community."
Cranston Reveals they were texting about lunch just weeks earlier
One of the most painful details in Cranston’s tribute was his revelation that he and Mitte had been in contact shortly before his death. The two had reportedly been texting just weeks earlier, trying to find a time to meet for lunch. Cranston admitted that he was struggling with the thought of what might have happened if they had seen each other. He wrote:
"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 dimmed…"
He ended the note by writing, "I’ll miss you, son," along with a public appeal to reach out to helplines in case someone's struggling with mental health or dealing with suicidal thoughts. While the official cause of Mitte's death is pending investigation, initial reports by TMZ stated that the 34-year-old actor died by suicide.
Mitte played 'Walter White Jr.', also known as 'Flynn', throughout Breaking Bad’s five-season run from 2008 to 2013. His performance helped bring a personal dimension to the story of 'Walter White' and the family caught in the fallout of his criminal life. After the series, Mitte continued acting while using his public profile to advocate for disability representation and inclusion in entertainment. His work helped draw attention to the need for more authentic portrayals of people with disabilities on screen.
In the days before his death, Mitte had been sharing updates about his professional projects and had even expressed his desire to revive his iconic character. His enthusiasm about new projects is what made his sudden demise more shocking to colleagues and fans alike.
Mitte's most recent project was a film named Talking to Strangers, where he played 'Joshua', a rigid loner with cerebral palsy who forms an unlikely friendship with 'Marty', played by Lin Yin. The project was among his recent acting work.
The exact circumstances surrounding RJ Mitte's death remain under investigation.
Image courtesy: Bryan Cranston/Instagram, social media
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