‘Breaking Bad’ star RJ Mitte’s family details and engagement to Kennedy Suarez before his death

Mitte said he became his family’s main breadwinner at 13 after his mother was paralysed in a car accident

RJ Mitte, best known for playing Walter White Jr in Breaking Bad, has died at 34, leaving behind a personal story shaped by family responsibilities, a long acting career and his relationship with fiancée Kennedy Suarez.

Mitte was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and was adopted shortly after birth by Roy Frank Mitte Jr and Dyna Mitte. He grew up with his younger sister, Lacianne, also known as Lacey. In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Mitte spoke about his parents separating when he was nine months old and said his father played a limited role in his upbringing.

Family responsibilities became significant when Mitte was still young. His mother was left paralysed for six years following a car accident, and he helped care for his younger sister. He also began earning money as a teenager to support the household.

“By 13, I was the main breadwinner for my family,” Mitte told, describing the experience as difficult but necessary. He initially worked as an extra before securing larger acting opportunities.

His career changed significantly when he was cast as Walter White Jr, the son of Bryan Cranston’s character, in Breaking Bad. The role brought him international recognition and helped raise visibility for actors with cerebral palsy, a condition Mitte also had.

Away from his career, Mitte shared an important milestone with Suarez in October 2025, when he proposed to his longtime partner on her birthday. The proposal took place during an event benefiting United Cerebral Palsy, reflecting his longstanding connection to disability advocacy.

 

 

 

 

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Mitte also supported organisations including United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s, using his public profile to encourage greater inclusion and representation.

His representative described him as a beloved actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate in a statement reported by the BBC.

While Mitte became widely recognised through television, his story also reflected the responsibilities he carried early in life and the close family ties that shaped his journey.