RJ Mitte, the actor known for playing Walter White Jr in Breaking Bad, expressed a desire to revive his character just days before his death at the age of 34.
Death and Investigation
Mitte, an actor and disability rights activist, died in Brownsville, Texas, on Monday, October 12. The Brownsville Police Department is investigating and has not released a cause of death.
In a statement, his representative said: "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte." The statement added: "At this time, we ask people to respect the privacy of RJ Mitte's family and close ones."
Final Words on Breaking Bad
In his final Instagram post on October 8, Mitte shared his belief that his character's journey was not over. Appearing on the Joe Vulpis podcast on Wednesday, October 7, he said: "I don't think it was an end. I think that was really the end of Heisenberg's journey, but I don't think that was the end of Skyler, Walt, and Holly's journey."
He continued: "I think there's a lot of unanswered questions there that for them will probably never be answered. So I think, uh, there's still a big step for the White family. There's more to be told. There's always more to be told, but you gotta tell it right."
Mitte also said he believed fans have significant influence over the show's future and any potential revival. Reflecting on the series, which ran from 2008 to 2013, he said any future spin-offs would have a high standard to meet.
"I just want to top Breaking Bad, that's the hardest," he said. "That is literally said, a bar for myself as a young man that is kinda unattainable. I tell people, 'Look, it's a long way down from the top of the mountain.'"
Career and Advocacy
Mitte began his acting career with minor roles in Everybody Hates Chris and Hannah Montana before gaining fame in 2008 with Breaking Bad. Alongside acting, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy, a condition he had.
Bryan Cranston, who played his father Walter White, remembered Mitte as his "sweet son." "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," Cranston wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the two.
"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." Cranston said he watched Mitte grow into a "really fine actor" who used his experience to "be a vocal advocate for performers with disabilities."
