Bryan Cranston has posted an emotional message following the death of RJ Mitty, who played his on-screen son Walter "Flynn" White Jr. on the series "In the Shoes of Satan". Mitty died at the age of 34, and his death was confirmed by his representative. Authorities in Texas have launched an investigation, and an official cause of death was not initially announced.
"I am deeply saddened," Cranston wrote in a Facebook post. He recalled meeting Mitty when the future actor was just 14 years old and was cast as Walter Jr.
Cranston said that Mitty started filming as an inexperienced teenager but gradually grew into “a really good actor“. He said the young artist approached the busy shooting schedule with determination, despite living with cerebral palsy — a condition that his character also has in the series.
Their Last Messages
The actor revealed that he and Mitty had been texting just a few weeks before his death, while trying to set up a date for a lunch date. “I don't know if that lunch would have changed his future“, Cranston wrote, adding that he loved Mitty and cherished the time he spent with him during the series and after it ended. His message ended with the words: “I'll miss you, son“.
In the same post, Cranston pointed out that Mitty has turned his popularity into a platform to advocate for actors with disabilities. The actor has been an ambassador for organizations working in this field and has led a charitable foundation.
His colleagues also honored him
Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, said he was “heartbroken” and that he would miss Mitty. Dean Norris, known as Hank Schrader on the series, wrote that he always looked up to Mitty as a young colleague on the set and described him as “a wonderful young man”.
R.J. Mitty appeared in all five seasons of “In the Shoes of Satan”, which aired between 2008 and 2013. The role of Walter Jr. made him recognizable and brought attention to the representation of people with disabilities on screen. After the series ended, he continued to work as an actor and speak publicly about the need for greater representation in the entertainment industry.
Sources: apnews.com, cbsnews.com, au.variety.com