Bob Odenkirk shares heartbreaking tribute to Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte after tragic death at 34: 'Simply, deeply sad'

Bob Odenkirk shared a heartbreaking tribute to former Breaking Bad co-star RJ Mitte following his tragic passing at age 34 on October 12.

The 63-year-old actor, who had played Saul Goodman on the critically acclaimed AMC series, reflected on Mitte's life in an emotional statement shared to People on Tuesday. 

A county official confirmed to TMZ that Mitte, known for playing Walter White Jr on the show, died on Monday in Texas, and that a death investigation is ongoing.

The publication added that it was told by a separate source that Mitte had died by suicide. 

Odenkirk remembered Mitte as a 'good person who shared his personal story and his time to help out others.' 

He continued: 'Whenever I saw him, he was meeting the world with positivity and a strong desire to connect. This is simply, deeply sad.' 

The Daily Mail has reached out to reps of Odenkirk for comment, but has yet to hear back. 

Other stars who had worked alongside Mitte on Breaking Bad have also been mourning the shock passing of the actor. 

Bryan Cranston, who played Mitte's onscreen father on the series, said that he is 'in deep despair' after his passing as he shared a heartbreaking Instagram tribute, writing: 'I'll miss you, son.' 

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.

'RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died,' he wrote alongside a photo of them together. '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.

'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 that 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.'

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.'

Meanwhile Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman in the show, told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I am at a loss.

'I am heartbroken over this news. RJ, 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.'

And in a post on X, Dean Norris, who starred as the Hank Schrader, the uncle of Mitte's character, wrote: 'Oh my God! Was working just found out about RJ. I am heartbroken. Though RJ didn't play my TV son, I always looked out for him as a young kid on set.

'He was a sweetheart of a young man and will be greatly missed. This is so heartbreaking, I can’t believe it. Thinking of him and his family.'

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.

CP is a group of disorders that affect movement, posture and balance due to abnormal brain development or damage.

Symptoms range from muscle stiffness and poor motor control to difficulties with balance and coordination. 

Mitte 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.).

Actor Matt Jones, who played Brandon 'Badger' Mayhew on the series, posted an image of himself posed with the late actor taken nearly two years ago.

Jones captioned the post, 'January 2025. This was the last time I saw you. We stood in the back of a group photo making jokes and talking about how ridiculous our lives were. 

'You told me about all the plans you had. I was supposed to visit your new set up in Texas. We were gonna go out that night to visit Quezada’s club.'

Jones said that he 'bailed because [he] was tired,' now feeling remorseful over missing out on the opportunity to spend additional time with his late friend.

He wrote, 'I’m so sorry. I met you 19 years ago, you were only 15. I’m beyond devastated. You were a little brother to all of us. I’m so so sorry.'

DC Studios head James Gunn said in a post on Threads: 'RJ was a really sweet guy. I am so sorry to hear this.' 

Mitte's shock death comes a year after the actor got engaged to his girlfriend Kennedy Suarez on her 30th birthday.

'I'm thrilled to have found my person, my partner in life who makes me want to be better, no matter what we're doing,' Mitte told People. 

He gushed: 'Kennedy is my everything, and I can't wait to officially start our life together and see what adventures life takes us on next.'

Mitte and Suarez lived in Brownsville, Texas, and the actor was president of The Mitte Foundation, his family's Austin-based charity.

The Foundation rejuvenates and funds South Texas-based marginalized communities.

During his life, Mitte called for larger representation of disabled actors on television.

In what appears to be one of his last interviews, Mitte reflected on the end of Breaking Bad and how the show set an 'unobtainable' bar with The Joe Vulpis Podcast. 

Mitte had made his final red carpet appearance just 12 days before his shock passing.

He had attended the premiere of his new movie titled Talking to Strangers at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, September 30 

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org

In the UK, for confidential support call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org