RJ Mitte made advocacy for cerebral palsy and disability awareness a tenet of his acting career. Following his death at 34, the actor is being remembered for both his onscreen career and the representation he brought to beloved shows such as "Breaking Bad."
In a statement confirming Mitte's death on Oct. 12, his representative, Sean Reilly, remembered the actor as an advocate who "brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion" as Walter "Flynn" White Jr., the son of Bryan Cranston's anti-hero Walter White.
Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at around 3 years old, previously told Vice in 2016 that he was "always working at taking control" of the symptoms caused by the brain disorder. He added,
"It's a fight. It will always be a fight."
With his philanthropic efforts, Mitte used "his platform to challenge stereotypes and promote greater representation for people with disabilities," Reilly's statement said. Mitte was an honorary trustee of United Cerebral Palsy and the president of the Mitte Foundation.
He also worked with the nonprofit organization Shriners Hospitals for Children.
In his Vice interview, in which the Mississippi-born actor is seen driving and skateboarding near the beach, he said, "People perceive disability as a weakness, as an illness, as something that needs to be cured, and we need to fight against that."
RJ Mitte advocated for 'real stories on television'
Around six months after he moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, he booked the role of Walt Jr. As Mitte recalled, "the breakdown for the character was: dark hair, big eyebrows and mild cerebral palsy.
"And that was my life! Except for the methamphetamine," he said. "I think it's really important that we have real stories on television that are having real impact. People are hungry for realism, and they're hungry to see characters like them, and I think that's what was really important with 'Breaking Bad' is it showed characters that everyone can relate to."
The "Switched at Birth" actor continued: "I've tried to avoid being an advocate and a spokesmodel and all those different things. But the more tried [I] tried to avoid doing it, the more I found myself in the middle of it."
Mitte not only did scripted work onscreen but also performed live broadcasting duties when he provided commentary for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro for the U.K.'s Channel 4.
Just days before his death, Mitte reflected on his time on "Breaking Bad" and the impact it had on his life during an appearance on an Oct. 5 episode of "The Joe Vulpis Podcast."
"My character was written with someone with cerebral palsy. This was from the beginning; that was always the case," he said. "Walt Jr. was based on a real person, a friend of [creator] Vince Gilligan in college who had cerebral palsy, who used forearm crutches and sometime after passed away. So it really felt real playing this character and getting into the groove with this character."
In a 2015 interview with the Badger Herald, Mitte attributed his success in part to his cerebral palsy.
"I think everyone that has a disability has the opportunity to make an impact with what they can do and who they are. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do today if it wasn’t for my disability and what it instilled in me," he said.
Before his death, Mitte was promoting his new film "Talking to Strangers," in which his character, Joshua, also has cerebral palsy.
RJ Mitte was 'an integral part of our community' for cerebral palsy organization
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, United Cerebral Palsy President and CEO Susan Sellers said the organization "is deeply saddened by the passing of RJ Mitte, a talented actor and passionate advocate for people with cerebral palsy."
Mitte's advocacy "was rooted in a commitment to ensuring that people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities are seen, heard, and afforded the opportunity to reach their full potential," Sellers added, describing the actor as "an integral part of our community and mission."
"His legacy will live on in the lives he inspired and in the ongoing work to build a more inclusive world for people with disabilities," Sellers wrote.
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP), a group of neurologic disorders, affects patients' movements, balance and muscle coordination. It is caused by "abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain," which can happen in gestation, during childbirth, or within the first few years of life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People with spastic cerebral palsy, the most common type of CP, "have increased muscle tone," which results in stiff muscles, according to the CDC. Dyskinetic CP is characterized by difficulty "controlling the movement of [patients'] hands, arms, feet, and legs, making it difficult to sit and walk."
Ataxic CP patients commonly have problems with balance and coordination. It's possible for people to have more than one type of CP.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RJ Mitte's 'Breaking Bad' character reflected his cerebral palsy advocacy
