Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul has dedicated an Instagram post to his late co-star RJ Mitte, who passed away aged 34. Mitte, best known for playing Walter White Jr. on the hit TV show, died by suicide, his representatives confirmed to Metro.
'It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,' his reps said in a statement.
Co-stars pay tribute
Following the news of his death, Mitte's Breaking Bad co-stars paid tribute to the young actor, including Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris, and Bob Odenkirk. Now Aaron Paul has posted a new tribute on Instagram.
The post is a video clip of Mitte talking about the importance of taking care of your mental health. 'I hope y'all are doing well today in this time of uncertainty, but I would like to talk to you a little about mental health,' Mitte says to the camera. 'It's very important to take care of one's physical health, but it's equally as important to take care of one's mental health.'
'I wish we knew'
The actor then says it's 'okay to not always be good' but stresses it's 'not okay to harbour that feeling'. He finishes by adding he hopes everyone who sees the video feels inspired by it.
Paul captioned the video with an apology to Mitte, writing: 'RJ, you have always been an inspiration for so many. I am so sorry you were hurting, my friend. I wish we knew.'
'You constantly had a smile on your face, and you took every single challenge that was given to you with such confidence and grace,' he continued.
'What an absolute tragic loss'
The Breaking Bad star revealed how the last time he saw Mitte, he had called him 'Superman' because his kindness and strength reminded him of the iconic superhero. 'It was blinding,' he wrote. 'You were born into a world with challenges, but you never let any of that stand in your way. I'm so sorry, RJ. What an absolute tragic loss.'
Paul finished by saying he hopes whoever is reading this note who feels lost or sad or uncertain about the future says something because 'Life is so damn special.' 'There is so much going on in all of our lives but far too much beauty in this world to ignore,' he concluded. 'We need to focus on that. We must suffocate the noise and focus on each other. Hold each other up. That's what this life is all about.'
'Connect with someone you care about and say I love you. RJ, I love you my friend. I'm so sorry.'
