RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. in Breaking Bad and later became an ambassador for the World Boxing Council, died on October 12, 2026, at the age of 34 in Brownsville, Texas.
Former castmates led the tributes. Bryan Cranston, his on-screen father, said he was “in deep despair” at losing his “sweet son on Breaking Bad.” He first met Mitte when the actor was 14 and watched him grow up across five seasons alongside Anna Gunn, who played his mother. The pair had been messaging only weeks earlier and had arranged to meet for lunch. “I’ll miss you, son,” Cranston wrote.
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Dean Norris, who played Hank Schrader, said he was heartbroken, recalling how he kept an eye on Mitte as a youngster on set and describing him as “a sweetheart of a young man.”
Mitte, who had cerebral palsy, became a prominent disability rights advocate and used his platform to challenge stereotypes. He supported United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s and served as president of The Mitte Foundation.
His link with boxing began in 2019 at the Mr. Amigo celebrations in Brownsville, Texas, where he appeared with Julio César Chávez. He went on to represent the WBC, promoting inclusion through sport. In April 2021, WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán presented him with a replica world championship belt at the premiere of Triumph, in which Mitte starred as a teenager with cerebral palsy fighting for a spot on his school wrestling team.
Explaining what the role meant to him, Mitte said he felt a duty to create opportunities for those who need them most, “no matter where you are from or who you are.”
The WBC paid tribute to an ambassador who showed the grit and courage of a champion.
Cranston addressed reports surrounding Mitte’s death and urged anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts to seek help.