What We Know About RJ Mitte's Death and His BBC Interview

Actor RJ Mitte, who played Walter "Flynn" White Jr. in the AMC series "Breaking Bad," has died at age 34, according to BBC News. The broadcaster re-surfaced a 2015 interview Mitte gave to BBC Newsnight in which he described entering the film industry and working as an actor with a disability.

Who Was RJ Mitte?

Mitte had cerebral palsy, a condition he drew on for his role in "Breaking Bad," the Emmy-winning drama in which he played the teenage son of Walter White, according to BBC News. The outlet's report on his death did not list a cause.

What Did He Tell BBC Newsnight in 2015?

In the 2015 interview, broadcast on Newsnight and re-published by BBC News following his death, Mitte discussed how he got into the film industry and what it was like working as an actor with a disability, according to the BBC. The clip, titled "'Disabled or not, everyone deserves an opportunity' – RJ Mitte," runs one minute and 33 seconds, per the BBC video page.

What Did Mitte Say About Disability and Opportunity?

The line that gives the interview its title, "Disabled or not, everyone deserves an opportunity," is Mitte's own framing of how casting and hiring should work in entertainment, according to the BBC segment. The broadcaster did not provide additional direct quotations from the interview beyond that headline remark in the material reviewed for this report.

How Did Cerebral Palsy Shape His Breaking Bad Role?

BBC News reported that Mitte drew on his own experience with cerebral palsy for his portrayal of Walter White Jr., a character who also has the condition, on "Breaking Bad." The series is described by the BBC as an Emmy-winning drama. No further detail on award counts or specific prizes was included in the source material.

Where Can the Interview Be Watched?

The full 2015 exchange is archived on the BBC News website under its Culture subsection, alongside the broadcaster's report that Mitte died at 34. The video is catalogued under BBC topic pages including Acting, Television, Film, Disability, Cerebral Palsy and United States, according to the site's listing. BBC News has not published additional biographical detail beyond Mitte's age, his cerebral palsy, and his best-known role as the basis for this account. Readers seeking the original clip and the broadcaster's companion report can find both through the BBC News video page, which HTT News reviewed as the sole source for this report. No additional outlets' statements, union comments, or family statements were available in the material provided.