Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul joined family and friends at a celebration of life for their late costar RJ Mitte, who died by suicide on October 13 at the age of 34.
Cranston, 70, portrayed Mitte’s onscreen father, Walter White, in the long-running AMC drama. Dressed in a black suit and tie, the actor appeared solemn as he gathered with Mitte’s loved ones at Hope Lutheran Church in Hollywood on Saturday.
Paul, 47, who played Jesse Pinkman, Walter’s young and unpredictable partner in crime, wore a navy button-down shirt with dark trousers and concealed his eyes behind dark sunglasses.
Other Breaking Bad cast members, including Bob Odenkirk, 64, Jonathan Banks, 79, and Raymond Cruz, 62, attended the service to remember Mitte, whose final days have recently come to light.
Gilles Marini, Mitte’s costar from Switched at Birth, was also seen at the emotional gathering in an all-black outfit.
Mitte’s mother, Dyna Mitte, and his sister, Lacianne Carriere, were among those present to honor his memory.
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston attended a celebration of life for his late costar and onscreen son, RJ Mitte
Aaron Paul was among the mourners at the service. He played Walter White’s young and volatile partner in crime on Breaking Bad
Mitte died by suicide at his home in Brownsville, Texas, on October 13, aged 34. Above, Mitte pictured on September 30
After the ceremony, attendees continued the remembrance at a nearby bar, where they shared stories and memories, according to TMZ.
A separate celebration of life took place in Mitte’s hometown of Brownsville, Texas, on October 16, bringing together relatives and members of the local community.
Mitte, who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy at around three years old, was discovered by his mother after he failed to answer her call at approximately 11am and she went to check on him at home.
An official inquest report reviewed by Page Six listed the manner of death as suicide by hanging.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, his mother Dyna said the family had been worried about his mental health and that she had urged him to seek support from a professional.
“It was more about the conversations we were having – not just with me, but with his team and friends,” she said.
“There were concerns. That’s why I encouraged him to talk to a counsellor. I told him to talk to a therapist and share his feelings and how he saw things,” Mitte’s mother added.
Last month, Mitte’s grieving sister Lacianne shared an emotional tribute on Instagram. “There are just no words. You were just here. Your strawberry Fanta was still sitting on my coffee table when I got the call. Life hasn’t felt real since then.”
After Mitte’s death was announced, Cranston said he was in “deep despair.” Above, Cranston, Anna Gunn and Mitte appear in a Breaking Bad still
The Hollywood service was attended by Mitte’s sister Lacianne Carriere, pictured, and his mother Dyna Mitte
Breaking Bad actor Raymond Cruz attended to pay his final respects
Bob Odenkirk wore a dark suit and black shirt to the service at Hope Lutheran Church
A solemn Jonathan Banks stood outside the church as mourners gathered
“RJ, you were my everything. I just lost my other half. I lost my brother, but I also lost my father,” she continued.
“Every single aspect of my personality is because of your influence. My music taste, my film taste, the video games I love. Because of you, I am a collector. You taught me that even the smallest piece of paper can be a precious memory later on.”
She ended the tribute by writing: “I loved you completely. And you loved me the same. That’s all. The rest is confetti.”
During the October 16 memorial in Texas, Mitte’s younger sister also delivered a tearful eulogy in his honor.
“My mom was a single mother, and when I was two weeks old, she was in an accident that paralyzed her from the waist down for the first few years of my life,” Lacianne said.
“And my brother immediately took on the father role. I don’t have many words that I can put together, but all I can say is that every part of me is RJ.”
Cranston previously wrote about his grief in an Instagram post shortly after Mitte’s death was announced, saying he was experiencing “deep despair.”
“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,” Cranston wrote.
Gilles Marini, Mitte’s Switched at Birth costar, was seen being comforted by another attendee
Mitte’s death has devastated his family. His mother Dyna later said there had been “concerns” about his mental health and that she encouraged him to seek professional help
Cranston wrote that Mitte’s death was “especially devastating,” recalling that they had been texting about meeting for lunch just weeks earlier. Above, Cranston, Mitte and Dean Norris in 2008
“Born with cerebral palsy, he never – ever – allowed that challenge to become an excuse for anything. He faced the demanding shooting schedule with tremendous determination.”
Cranston said he and Mitte had remained in contact, revealing they had exchanged messages only a few weeks before his death. “All that promise and potential now is such a loss. 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.”
Mitte was best known for his role as Walter White Jr. on Breaking Bad, but his television credits also included Switched at Birth in 2014, Robot Chicken in 2016, Now Apocalypse in 2019 and The Guardians of Justice in 2022.
His film work included the science-fiction horror movie The Recall in 2017, along with River Runs Red in 2018, Standing Up for Sunny in 2019, The Oak Room in 2020 and Triumph in 2021.
Beyond acting, Mitte was a passionate advocate for people with disabilities and cerebral palsy. He used his platform to challenge misconceptions and call for more authentic representation and inclusion in Hollywood.
“People perceive disability as a weakness, as an illness, as something that needs to be cured, and we have to fight against that,” Mitte told Vice in 2013.
“Someone said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ And I was like, ‘What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you? I’m fine, man.’”
