RJ Mitte, “Breaking Bad” actor, dies at age 34

RJ Mitte, who rose to fame playing Walter “Flynn” White Jr. on the hit series “Breaking Bad,” has died, his representative confirmed to CBS News.He was 34. 

A cause of death was not provided.  

Mitte played the son of Bryan Cranston’s high school-teacher-turned-drug-kingpin Walter White and Anna Gunn’s Skyler White on the AMC series, often cited as one of the greatest TV shows ever made. 

Mitte, and by extension Walter Jr., had cerebral palsy. 

“Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion,” his representative, Sean Riley, said in a statement.    

As a member of the “Breaking Bad” cast, Mitte won a Screen Actors Guild Award for best drama ensemble in 2014 for the show’s final season.

In addition to his acting, Mitte was an advocate for those with disabilities and sought to raise awareness for a variety of conditions while pushing for expanded roles for people with disabilities in Hollywood. In 2014, he received the SAG-AFTRA Howard Russell Award, named in honor of the first actor with a disability to win an Oscar. 

“Beyond entertaining friends and family around the world, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s. 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,” Riley said.

Last year, Mitte partnered with Can Do Canines, which helps provide service dogs in Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

“I’m very lucky with my disability that I have worked very hard to have the mobility I have today, but I see in many people’s lives, they don’t get the same opportunities,” Mitte said at the time. 

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.