Bryan Cranston paid an emotional tribute to his former Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte, saying he was in “deep despair” over the actor’s death.
Cranston, who played Mitte’s father Walter White in the acclaimed American crime drama, said he had been making plans to meet his former co-star for lunch just weeks before his death.
“I’m in deep despair as I write this tonight,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “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.”
Mitte played Walter White Jr in all five seasons of Breaking Bad, which aired from 2008 to 2013. He lived with cerebral palsy, a physical disability affecting a person’s ability to move, as did his character.
He was 34 at the time of his death.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” Mitte’s representative said in a statement to TMZ.
Cranston described him as “one of the stars of a hit TV show but still a kid”. “That kid was pretty raw when we started shooting the pilot in February of 2007, but 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 organisation with a focus on helping the disabled community,” he wrote. “All that promise and potential now is such a loss.”
“I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future,” he added. “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.”
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman alongside Cranston and Mitte in Breaking Bad, also paid tribute to his former co-star.
“I am at a loss. I am heartbroken over this news. RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed,” Paul said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
“And to whoever happens to be reading this, please know you are loved, and you are not alone. Always remember that.”
Oh my God! Was working just found out about RJ
— Dean Norris (@deanjnorris) October 12, 2026
I am heartbroken
Though RJ didn’t play my TV son, I always looked out for him as a young kid on set. He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed. This is so heartbreaking, I can’t believe it. Thinking of him and…
Dean Norris, who played Hank Schrader, Walter White’s brother-in-law and Mitte’s character’s uncle, remembered looking out for the younger actor on set. “He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed. I can’t believe it. Thinking of him and his family,” Norris said in a statement to People.
RJ Mitte has passed. We spent a little time together when I was shooting Breaking Bad. He was lovely and this is very sad news indeed. Rest in Peace. pic.twitter.com/omFPHKo51o
— JB Blanc (@thejbblanc) October 12, 2026
JB Blanc, who played Dr Barry Goodman in the series, remembered spending time with Mitte while filming the series. “He was lovely and this is very sad news indeed. Rest in Peace,” Blanc wrote on X.
Matt Jones, who played Badger in Breaking Bad, said he was “beyond devastated” by Mitte’s death. “You told me about all the plans you had. I was supposed to visit your new set up in Texas. We were gonna go out that night to visit Quezada’s club. I bailed because I was tired. I’m so sorry,” Jones wrote in a tribute on Instagram.
Mitte also appeared in the American teenage drama Switched at Birth and in the superhero series The Guardians of Justice.
His film credits include Triumph, a 2021 drama about a high-school student with cerebral palsy who aspires to become a wrestler.
My heart is shattered. There will never be another like RJ Mitte. You will always have a place in my heart. RIP pic.twitter.com/kfS8gv5kHx
— Marlee Matlin (@MarleeMatlin) October 12, 2026
Marlee Matlin shared a photo with Mitte and co-star Ryan Lane on Instagram. “My heart is shattered. There will never be another like RJ Mitte. You’ll always have a place in my heart.”
Lea Thompson, who appeared with Mitte in Switched at Birth, described him as “joyous, professional, and kind” in her own Instagram tribute on Monday. “I’m so broken hearted to hear of his passing,” she wrote. “May his memory be a blessing. Rest in peace RJ, your work inspired so many.”
What a kind and wonderful person. Devastating. So young and genuinely nice to everyone he spoke to. This is truly awful. Sending love to his family. https://t.co/qbkp3CGzst
— Vincent Martella (@vince_martella) October 12, 2026
Filmmaker Michael D Coffey, who cast Mitte in Triumph, said they had “instantly bonded like brothers”.
“RJ was a very hard worker ever since his childhood from helping his mom,” he told People. “He was always traveling to hospitals, etc to advocate for people with disabilities. RJ will be greatly missed by the many, many lives he touched.”
William Mark McCullough, who played Mitte’s father in the 2023 film The Unseen, described him as “kind, thoughtful, and talented”, while Jennifer A Goodman, who wrote and produced the film and appeared alongside Mitte, called his death “beyond devastating” and praised him as a “giving actor”.
Wow, this absolutely broke my heart. 💔 We used to hang out during NYFW, and he was always such a kind soul. RJ Mitte was so talented and gone far too soon. Rest peacefully. 🕊️❤️ https://t.co/7pSb1A7ZsC pic.twitter.com/LU55X5nsIc
— Eric West (@EricXWest) October 12, 2026
Niko Pepaj, who appeared with Mitte in the 2017 science-fiction film The Recall, also shared a personal message: “You broke my heart brother.”
Mitte received the SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award in 2013 for his work on Breaking Bad.
The award honours performers with disabilities and is named after Harold Russell, the first actor with a disability to win an Oscar.
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