Bryan Cranston is in “deep despair” over the news of his “Breaking Bad” co-star RJ Mitte’s death at age 34. Mitte, who played Cranston’s son on the AMC drama, died by suicide, his rep confirms.
In an emotional Instagram tribute, Cranston remembers Mitte as his “sweet son,” reflecting on the many years they spent together on and off camera.
“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 writes. “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.”
Cranston recalls that Mitte was still “pretty raw” when they began shooting the “Breaking Bad” pilot in February 2007, marveling at how “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 continues. “All that promise and potential now is such a loss.”
Bryan Cranston recalls texting RJ Mitte ‘just a few weeks ago’
“It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life,” Bryan Cranston writes of RJ Mitte’s death. “Why? 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. I’ll miss you, son.”
Cranston’s emotional tribute ends with a message to anyone who might find themselves in a similar position as Mitte.
“I can’t stop there without imploring anyone who is contemplating suicide to please call for the support you need at 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (https://988lifeline.org/). There is hope.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Text MHA to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor from Crisis Text Line.
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