American actor RJ Mitte, best known for playing Walter White Jr. in the television drama Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 34.
His representative confirmed his death in a statement to the BBC. Mitte died in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday, with his publicist confirming that he died by suicide.
Mitte, who had cerebral palsy, drew on his personal experience to portray the son of drug kingpin Walter White in the Emmy-winning series, which aired from 2008 to 2013.
His co-star Bryan Cranston, who played his father in the series, paid tribute to the actor, saying he was in deep despair over the news.
Cranston recalled meeting Mitte when he was 14 and praised his growth as an actor and his work promoting disability rights.
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, also expressed heartbreak over Mitte’s death, saying he loved his friend and that he would be missed.
Dean Norris, who played Hank Schrader, described Mitte as a kind young man who would be greatly missed.
Beyond acting, Mitte was a disability rights advocate who worked to promote inclusion and better representation of people with disabilities in the entertainment industry.
He served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s and established the Mitte Foundation to support charitable and community initiatives.
His other screen credits include Hannah Montana and Switched at Birth.
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