RJ Mitte's longtime manager shares heartbreaking final goodbye to actor he called his 'brother'
RJ Mitte’s long-time manager has paid a touching tribute following his sudden death on Monday (12 October).
Mitte, who was best known for playing Bryan Cranston’s on-screen son in Breaking Bad, died in Brownsville, Texas. He was just 34.
His representative confirmed the tragic news in a statement.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte,” the rep said.
Advert
As yet, no cause of death has been confirmed, with Brownsville Police Department telling LADbible in a statement that an investigation is ongoing.
Tributes have been flooding in for Mitte from across the industry, with Cranston saying the news had left him in ‘deep despair’, and Jesse Pinkman actor Aaron Paul saying he was ‘heartbroken’ and ‘at a loss’.
Mitte’s longtime manager Ben Brucato, the CEO and founder of BLUNT MGMT, has now shared his own heartbreaking statement, paying tribute to his ‘enormous heart’, ‘ridiculous sense of humour’ and ‘laughter’.
In a lengthy statement shared on Instagram Brucato wrote: “This is, without question, one of the most painful and difficult things I have ever had to write. As I sit here with tears in my eyes, struggling to process a grief that sometimes feels too overwhelming to bear, I am doing my best to find the words to express what is in my heart.”
Brucato then thanked people for reaching out and offering their condolences and apologised for not being able to respond to them all after receiving messages from ‘hundreds of people around the world’.
Brucato went on to say that Mitte had been more than a client with the pair striking up a strong friendship.
“From the moment we met, just a few weeks after his 21st birthday, we became instant friends,” he wrote.
“Over the years, we spent an incredible amount of time together, traveling around the world for appearances, press conferences, and meetings with presidents and prime ministers. I had the privilege of watching him stand before packed university auditoriums, members of Congress, houses of parliament, and even small community colleges, speaking passionately about disability advocacy, accessibility, and inclusion.
“But R.J. never simply spoke about making the world a better place. He challenged people to look within themselves, recognise what they had to offer, and use their own abilities to help those who needed support. He wanted people to understand that inclusion wasn’t just a concept to discuss or a box to check. It was about how you treated people, how you made them feel, and whether you were willing to see the person beyond their circumstances.
“R.J. was a rare kind of human being. He was someone who wanted to see other people happy long before he ever considered his own happiness. He wanted everyone to feel welcomed, accepted, and valued, regardless of their appearance, disability, education, or background.
I watched him get down on his knees to speak with someone in a wheelchair, simply because he wanted to be at eye level with them. He didn’t want them looking up at him. He wanted them to feel equal, because in his eyes, they were.
“That was R.J. He didn’t just talk about equality. He lived it.”
Brucato praised Mitte for his charity work, including volunteering with Shriners Hospitals for Children and the United Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
He hailed Mitte as a ‘walking encyclopedia, a human Swiss Army knife of knowledge’ who knew something about every subject.
“He could spend time talking anime with teenagers and then turn around and have an in-depth conversation about rockets and propulsion systems with an engineer,” he said.
The statement went on to talk about the impact Mitte had on people and the gift he had for making others feel ‘seen, heard, and accepted’.
Rounding off his post, Brucato wrote: “I will carry your friendship with me always. I will remember your laughter, your curiosity, your ridiculous sense of humor, your enormous heart, and that mischievous grin. And I will do my best to honor you by remembering the lessons you taught me and extending to others the same kindness and understanding you showed so effortlessly.
“I love you, R.J. I am going to miss you for the rest of my life. It was a true privilege to not only be your agent but also part of your family.
“Until we meet again, my brother, may you finally rest in paradise.”
Topics: Celebrity, Breaking Bad
Claire Reid