RJ Mitte, Breaking Bad actor, dies aged 34; co-stars pay tribute
RJ Mitte, who played Walter White Jr. in Breaking Bad, died in Brownsville, Texas, aged 34. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Dean Norris paid tribute, and his representatives remembered his disability advocacy.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2RJ Mitte, the actor who played Walter White Jr. in Breaking Bad, has died aged 34 in Brownsville, Texas. Gulf NewsN “the actor who played Walter White Jr. on Breaking Ba” Read at Gulf News ↗ Evening StandardN “The 34-year-old’s tragic passing was announced by his representatives.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Evening Standard, citing People, reported that Brownsville Police received a call at 12.50pm local time on Monday and found Mitte dead at his home. Evening StandardN “The Brownsville Police Department in Texas reportedly received a call at 12.50pm local time on Monday and found Mitte dead at his home, People reported.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Standard, citing Variety, said a representative of the actor said he died by suicide. Evening StandardN “A representative of the actor said he died by suicide, according to Variety.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 2His representatives described him as a beloved actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate who drew on his own experience of cerebral palsy to bring authenticity to the role. Evening StandardN ““It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,”” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Gulf NewsN “They said he drew on his own experience of cerebral palsy to give the role authenticity” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 1Bryan Cranston, who played his on-screen father, wrote on Instagram that he was in deep despair, that he had met Mitte at 14, and that Mitte never allowed cerebral palsy to be an excuse for anything. Cranston also said the two had exchanged text messages in recent weeks and tried to arrange a catch-up. Evening StandardN ““I’m in deep despair as I write this tonight. RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died.”“In an emotional Instagram post, Cranston said the pair had exchanged text messages in recent weeks and tried to arrange a catch-up” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Dean Norris, who played Hank Schrader, said he was heartbroken and had always looked out for Mitte as a young kid on set. Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, told The Hollywood Reporter he was at a loss and told Mitte he loved him. Evening StandardN ““Though RJ didn’t play my TV son, I always looked out for him as a young kid on set.”““I am at a loss. I am heartbroken over this news. RJ, I love you my friend.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 2Mitte, whose full name was Roy Frank Mitte III, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at three. He appeared in Breaking Bad from 2008 until it ended in 2013, after early roles in Everybody Hates Chris and Hannah Montana. Evening StandardN “Mitte, real name Roy Frank Mitte III, was an actor and producer”“At the age of three, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Gulf NewsN “Mitte played the son of Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler White (Anna Gunn) across all five seasons of the crime drama.” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 1His other work included Switched at Birth, Vegas, Now Apocalypse and Chance, the films Time Share, Dixieland and Westhampton, a Vivienne Westwood catwalk show, and presenting part of Channel 4's coverage of the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Evening StandardN “Mitte also landed TV roles in Switched At Birth, Vegas, Now Apocalypse and Chance”“walked the catwalk for a Vivienne Westwood fashion show, and also presented part of Channel 4’s coverage of the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Off screen he was an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s and president of The Mitte Foundation. Gulf NewsN “He was an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, and served as president of The Mitte Foundation” Read at Gulf News ↗
Centre · 1Gulf News reported that Mitte's last interview, on The Joe Vulpis Podcast seven days before his death, saw him say the White family's story was not finished and that he wanted to top Breaking Bad, a bar he called 'kinda unattainable'. Gulf NewsN “Mitte appeared on The Joe Vulpis Podcast seven days before his death.”“I just want to top Breaking Bad, that’s the hardest.” Read at Gulf News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both centre outlets cover the death through tributes and career remembrance: the Evening Standard leads on Cranston's Instagram tribute and the circumstances, Gulf News on Mitte's final podcast interview and his advocacy.
- Emphasis
- Co-star tributes, Mitte's cerebral palsy advocacy and career; Gulf News stresses his ambition and view that the White family's story was unfinished.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gulf News does not report the reported cause of death or the police call; the Standard does not mention the final podcast interview.
- Charged language
- “Heartbroken”“tragic passing”
- For example
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“Heartbroken Bryan Cranston has paid an emotional tribute to to his on-screen son and Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte following his death.” — Evening Standard
“In what turned out to be his last interview, RJ Mitte said he believed the White family’s story was not finished.” — Gulf News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- RJ Mitte died aged 34.
- He played Walter White Jr. in Breaking Bad.
- He had cerebral palsy and was a disability rights advocate.
- His representatives announced his death.
RJ Mitte person
Remembered by his representatives as an actor, philanthropist and disability rights advocate; in his last interview he said he wanted to top Breaking Bad.
“beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte” — Evening Standard
“I just want to top Breaking Bad, that’s the hardest.” — Gulf News
Bryan Cranston person
Cranston says he is in deep despair, praises Mitte's determination and says they had recently texted about meeting up.
““I’m in deep despair as I write this tonight.” — Evening Standard
Left1 article
Centre3 articles
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Sympathetic Looks back at Mitte's final interview and ambitions, then his career and disability advocacy.
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Sympathetic Leads with Cranston's emotional tribute, then reported circumstances, other co-stars' tributes and career; ends with Samaritans details.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 12 Oct 22:57 First VarietyLC ‘Breaking Bad’ Star RJ Mitte’s Heartbreaking Performance as Walter White Jr. Was a Breakthrough for Disability Representation Opinion
- 13 Oct 04:48 +5h 52m Gulf NewsN Bryan Cranston mourns his Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte, 34: 'I'll miss you, son'
- 13 Oct 05:56 +6h 59m Gulf NewsN Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte wanted to top the show days before his death: ‘I set a bar that is kind of unattainable'
- 13 Oct 06:23 +7h 26m Evening StandardN RJ Mitte death latest: Heartbroken Bryan Cranston pays emotional tribute to on-screen Breaking Bad son
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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