RJ Mitte
Mitte at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1992-08-21) August 21, 1992
Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • film producer
Years active2006–present
PartnerKennedy Blaire (2022–present)

Roy Frank "RJ" Mitte III (/ˈmɪti/; born August 21, 1992)[1] is an American actor, best known for playing Walter White Jr. on the AMC series Breaking Bad (2008–2013).[2] Like his character on the show, he has cerebral palsy.[2] After moving to Hollywood in 2006, he began training with a personal talent manager.[3] They sought acting opportunities where his disability would serve to educate viewers, which led him to audition for the role in Breaking Bad.[4]

Early life

Mitte was born in Jackson, Mississippi.[5] He was delivered by emergency caesarean and was not breathing at the time of his birth, which resulted in permanent brain damage. He was adopted a few weeks later by Roy Frank Mitte Jr. and Dyna Mitte, who later separated. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three, and doctors put his legs in casts for six months in an attempt to straighten his feet.[6]

Mitte was fitted with leg braces and used crutches throughout most of his childhood; however, over time, his body became stronger through sports and exercise; he no longer needed any walking devices by his teenage years.[7] In 2006, he moved with his family to Los Angeles, where his younger sister Lacianne Carriere had received an offer for a role in a film project.[8][9]

Mitte was raised by his mother following the separation of his parents. After his mother became paralyzed, Mitte became financially responsible at age 13 for the family, which by then also included his sister who was born when he was 11 years old. As of 2015, he was still financially responsible for his mother and sister.[10]

Career

RJ Mitte speaking at Texas A&M University–Commerce in April 2015

After receiving several roles as an extra, including in the Disney series Hannah Montana,[11] Mitte became interested in films and decided to take acting lessons. Shortly after, he was offered the role of Walter White Jr., a character who also has cerebral palsy, in the AMC series Breaking Bad.[2] At the 2013 Media Access Awards, Mitte received the SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award for his portrayal of Walter White Jr. on the series and also presented the eponymous RJ Mitte Diversity Award to deaf actor Ryan Lane.[12] The Screen Actors Guild named Mitte as the spokesman for actors with disabilities and he is the representative of Inclusion in the Arts and Media of Performers with Disabilities, which employs artists with disabilities.[13]

He starred in the short horror film Stump in 2011.[14] That same year, he worked as executive producer of the documentary Vanished: The Tara Calico Story, about the disappearance of Tara Calico.[15] Mitte was cast in the 2012 thriller film House of Last Things.

Mitte appeared in the 2013 music video for "Dead Bite" by rapcore band Hollywood Undead. He also appeared in the video for "If I Get High" by Nothing But Thieves in 2016. In January 2014, he began a recurring role on the ABC Family drama series Switched at Birth portraying Campbell, a premed student paralyzed from a snowboarding accident who uses a wheelchair.[16]

On 17 November 2015, Mitte was announced to be a presenter as part of British Channel 4's coverage of the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympics.[17]

Activism

Mitte appeared on the cover of the February/March 2015 issue of Neurology Now (published by the American Academy of Neurology). The issue included a short biography and his views on cerebral palsy, bullying, and his acting career.[18] He is also a celebrity ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy.[19]

Modeling

Mitte modeled for a spring 2014 Gap ad campaign.[20] Mitte walked the catwalk for Vivienne Westwood in June 2015.[21]

Personal life

In October 2023, Mitte revealed he has been dating Kennedy Blaire since 2022.[22]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Stump Short film
2013 House of Last Things Tim
2015 Dixieland CJ
2016 Who's Driving Doug Doug
2017 The Recall Brendan
2018 Time Share Tom
2018 Retired Cupid RJ Short film
2018 Rivers Run Red Officer Thomas
2019 Standing Up for Sunny Travis
2020 Not a Game Self Documentary
2020 The Oak Room Steve
2021 Triumph Mike Also executive producer[23]
2023 The Unseen Tommy Olson [24]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Everybody Hates Chris Audience Member Uncredited
Episode: "Everybody Hates Elections"
2007 Hannah Montana School Jock Uncredited
Episode: "Schooly Bully"[25]
2008–2013 Breaking Bad Walter "Flynn" White Jr. 53 episodes
2013 Vegas Russ Auster Episode: "Paiutes"
2014 Switched at Birth Campbell Bingman 9 episodes
2016 Robot Chicken Walter White Jr. (voice) Episode: "Food"[26]
2017 The Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls Participant Series 2
2017 Chance Patient at convention Episode: "The Collected Works of William Shakespeare"
2018 This Close Solomon Episode: "Who We Are"
2019 Now Apocalypse Leif 2 episodes
2022 The Guardians of Justice Mind Master

Music videos

Year Artist Title Role
2013 Hollywood Undead "Dead Bite" Child
2013 Steel Panther "Party Like Tomorrow is the End of the World"
2016 Nothing but Thieves "If I Get High"
2016 3 Doors Down "In the Dark"

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryProjectResult
2011Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesBreaking BadNominated[27]
2012Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesBreaking BadNominated[28]
2012Young Artist AwardBest Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actor 17–21Breaking BadNominated[29]
2013Media Access AwardSAG-AFTRA Harold Russell AwardBreaking BadAwarded[12]
2013Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesBreaking BadWon[30]

References

  1. ↑ "Birthday: RJ Mitte". August 18, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Tina Calabro (March 17, 2010). "'Breaking Bad' actor RJ Mitte finds 'perfect role' prepared him to become an activist". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  3. ↑ Gary Strauss (February 20, 2008). "For teen star of 'Breaking Bad,' real-life disability is no obstacle". USA Today. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  4. ↑ RJ Mitte — Breaking Bad Is Good Interview, ABILITY Magazine.
  5. ↑ "RJ Mitte of 'Breaking Bad' on Living with Cerebral Palsy". YouTube. October 10, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  6. ↑ "RJ Mitte of 'Breaking Bad' on Living with Cerebral Palsy". YouTube. June 9, 2020.
  7. ↑ Natasha Wasinkski (October 10, 2013). "'Breaking Bad's' R.J. Mitte talks about living with cerebral palsy". Chicago Sun-Times.
  8. ↑ Calabro, Tina (March 17, 2010). "'Breaking Bad' actor RJ Mitte finds 'perfect role' prepared him to become an activist". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  9. ↑ Turnquist, Kristi (October 21, 2010). "'Breaking Bad' costar RJ Mitte on ability, disabilities, and filming in Portland". The Oregonian. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  10. ↑ Ferguson, Donna (February 17, 2016). "RJ Mitte: 'Breaking Bad didn't even make me a millionaire'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  11. ↑ Clements, Erin (September 18, 2013). "RJ Mitte, Miley Cyrus Appeared On 'Hannah Montana' Together". The Huffington Post.
  12. 1 2 "2013 Media Access Awards". Writers Guild of America. November 1, 2013. Archived from the original on January 3, 2014.
  13. ↑ Wolfe, Kathi (April 2012). "For Mitte, 'Bad' Rep is Good". Independence Today.
  14. ↑ "Stump (2011)". IMDb. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Vanished: The Tara Calico Story". Indiegogo. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  16. ↑ Philiana Ng (January 2, 2014). "'Switched at Birth': 'Breaking Bad's' R.J. Mitte Makes His Debut". The Hollywood Reporter.
  17. ↑ "Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte joins Channel 4's Paralympics presenters | Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  18. ↑ Childers, Linda (February 2015). "Breaking Good: After the role of a lifetime, Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte is busting stereotypes about cerebral palsy and speaking out against bullying". Neurology Now. American Academy of Neurology. 11 (1): 22–25. doi:10.1097/01.NNN.0000461241.05321.d5. S2CID 147052248.
  19. ↑ "Celebrity Ambassadors". Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  20. ↑ GAP Spring Campaign 2014
  21. ↑ Time. Breaking Bad Walt Jr. Vivienne Westwood Fashion Show
  22. ↑ "Happy birthday my baby !!! It's been an amazing year and it's far from over many more memories !!!". instagram.com.
  23. ↑ "Out today! In @cinemark theaters "Triumph" tells the story of A high school senior in the 1980s who aspires to join the wrestling team. Because he has cerebral palsy, even adults who admire his resolve — like Coach Warren (Terrence Howard), who teaches Mike in a phys-ed class, and Mike's single father (Johnathon Schaech) — don't initially believe he can do it. Directed by Brett Leonard, the film was inspired by the experiences of its screenwriter, Michael D. Coffey. Triumph Rated PG-13. Wrestling violence. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. In theaters". instagram.com.
  24. ↑ "Jennifer A. Goodman Thriller 'The Unseen' Starring 'Breaking Bad's RJ Mitte Acquired By Gravitas Ventures". deadline.com.
  25. ↑ Clements, Erin (September 18, 2013). "RJ Mitte, Miley Cyrus Appeared On 'Hannah Montana' Together". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  26. ↑ Rohn, Jake. "Exclusive: RJ Mitte Is Down To Voice 'Walter White Jr.' In A Robot Chicken Movie". Movie Ranker. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  27. ↑ "18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. January 29, 2012.
  28. ↑ "19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. January 27, 2013.
  29. ↑ "34th Annual Young Artist Awards". Young Artist Awards. May 5, 2013.
  30. ↑ "20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. January 18, 2014.
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