RJ Mitte

Just like his character on the show, RJ Mitte has cerebral palsy, although Mitte’s is a milder form of the disability. His other credits include the upcoming fantasy thriller feature film House of Last Things and the documentary film CinemAbility, which takes a detailed look at the evolution of disability in entertainment and features a who’s who of Hollywood, including Ben Affleck, Jamie Foxx, Gary Sinise and David Milch, among others. He recently had a guest-starring role on the CBS hit Vegas. Mitte also served as executive producer for Vanished: The Tara Calico Story, which had its debut at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Mitte is involved with several organizations that raise awareness of equality and diversity. He is the Youth Spokesperson for the National Disability Institute’s Real Economic Impact Tour, which works to improve the financial situation of low-income persons with disabilities. He is a spokesperson for I AM PWD, the tri-union campaign (SAG, AFTRA and AEA) which advocates for actors with disabilities, and for Beyond Diversity—The Future Is Now. As a guest speaker at high schools, colleges and universities around the country, Mitte openly talks about the ways he has overcome obstacles and how he has achieved his goals. In 2011 he became a Celebrity Youth Ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy, an organization which educates, advocates and provides support limits for people with a spectrum of disabilities. One hot-button issue that Mitte has recently become vocal about is the prevention of bullying. Upon hearing that bullying was at the root of several teen suicides in 2010, Mitte began speaking out on the topic via YouTube, a statement to the press and in interviews. He has since been a featured guest speaker at an anti-bullying town hall discussion at the NAPT Annual Conference for school transportation professionals and begun working with PACER’s National Center for Bullying Prevention on a national campaign designed to engage and educate those who see bullying -- leveraging peer-to-peer support. Mitte spent much of his childhood in both Austin, TX, and Lafayette, LA, where he learned to deal with and overcome many of the challenges presented by his cerebral palsy. In 2005, he accompanied his younger sister on a trip to Los Angeles and was encouraged by a talent agent to try acting. Early in his career, Mitte worked as a background actor on the TV series Hannah Montana and Everybody Hates Chris. Mitte’s big break came when he was given the opportunity to audition for Breaking Bad. As a child, Mitte learned the value of giving back, spending time working with his grandfather’s philanthropic organization and partnering with Habitat groups to build houses around the world for communities devastated by natural disasters and poverty. These experiences helped set the backdrop for his future advocacy work in Hollywood. In his spare time, Mitte enjoys physical activities like hiking Runyon Canyon, an L.A. hot spot, and ballroom dancing. Mitte’s ambitions include directing, producing and finding work that will help him grow as an actor. Read an interview with RJ Mitte for Season 1 » Read an interview with RJ Mitte for Season 2 » Read an interview with RJ Mitte for Season 3 » Read an interview with RJ Mitte for Season 4 » Read an interview with RJ Mitte for Season 5 » Read an interview with RJ Mitte for the Final Episodes »