Heartbroken Bryan Cranston Planned to Meet 'Breaking Bad' Co-Star RJ Mitte Before Tragic 'Suicide' — 'I'll Miss You Son'
Bryan Cranston has shared a heartbreaking tribute to 'Breaking Bad' co-star and on-screen son R.J. Mitte following his shock death.
Oct. 13 2026, Published 8:06 a.m. ET
Bryan Cranston planned to see Breaking Bad co-star R.J. Mitte weeks before his tragic death.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the veteran actor, 70, shared a tribute to his on-screen son, admitting he was in "deep despair" over his passing.
Cranston's Emotional Tribute To On-Screen Son
Cranston met Mitte when the late actor was just 14 years old.
Cranston posted a tribute on Instagram.
Mitte's death was confirmed on Monday and according to sources, the 34-year-old died via "suicide."
Cranston said that it was "especially devastating" that Mitte "took his own life" as the two had recently been texting and making plans to meet up for lunch.
He wrote: "R.J. Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died.
"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.
'He Always Listened To Advice From TV Parents'
The actor said he gave Mitte guidance away from the set,
"Born with Cerebral Palsy, he never — ever — allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything. He met the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination."
Cranston said Mitte was "always listening to the advice that his TV parents (Anna Gunn and myself) gave him — but being a teenager, sometimes mischievously ignoring the counsel in order to learn the hard way... He was 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 organization with a focus on helping the disabled community. All that promise and potential now is such a loss."
Aaron Paul: 'I Love You My Friend'
'Breaking Bad' star Aaron Paul also shared a tribute.
Cranston, who played the show's lead, Walter White, went on: "It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life. Why? We were texting each other just a few weeks ago - figuring out when we could meet for lunch. I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future.
"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."
Cranston’s co-star Aaron Paul, 47, who played Jesse Pinkman in the show, also paid tribute to the young actor.
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Mitte died just a year after he got engaged.
He said: "I am heartbroken over this news. R.J., I love you my friend. You will be missed. And to whoever happens to be reading this, please know you are loved, and you are not alone. Always remember that."
Mitte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) when he was three, and he went on to advocate for actors and those working in the entertainment industry with disabilities.
He appeared in 56 episodes of Breaking Bad from 2008 to 2013 and had also appeared in The Recall and The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You.).
Mitte's shock death comes a year after the actor got engaged to his girlfriend Kennedy Suarez on her 30th birthday.
