US actor RJ Mitte, best known for starring opposite Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, has died aged 34.
The TV star rose to fame in his role as Cranston’s on-screen son Walter White Jr in the Emmy-winning series, and used his platform to advocate for disability rights from his experience of living with cerebral palsy.
Mitte’s death was announced by his representatives on Monday, according to reports.
Mitte, real name Roy Frank Mitte, was an actor and producer who started his career in entertainment playing minor roles in sitcoms such as Everybody Hates Chris and Hannah Montana.
He made a name for himself in 2008 after landing a lead role in hit crime series Breaking Bad, starring as the son of mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher Walter White, who transforms into a ruthless drug kingpin.
Mitte first appeared in the series aged 15 and had a recurring role until its conclusion in 2013, featuring alongside Hollywood stars such as Cranston and Aaron Paul, as well as Anna Gunn, Bob Odenkirk and Dean Norris.
He also landed TV roles in Switched At Birth, Vegas, Now Apocalypse and Chance, and has featured in films such as Time Share, Dixieland and Westhampton.
At the age of three he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, which the NHS describes as the name for a group of lifelong conditions that affect movement and co-ordination caused by a problem with the brain that develops around birth.
Mitte was outspoken about his disability and passionate about using his platform as an actor to educate and inform viewers.
He was also an ambassador for several disability and health organisations including United Cerebral Palsy, Shriners Children’s and Can Do Canines and he was the president the Mitte Foundation, which provides grants and scholarships to those in need.
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