The Breaking Bad family sadly lost one of its most beloved members this week, as died at the age of 34. Mitte reportedly died by suicide, and, since news of his passing was confirmed, many have been paying tribute to the late actor. Shortly before his passing, Mitte was also promoting a new movie and, amid interviews, he reflected on his time working on the successful AMC show. With that, he also got real about why he ultimately didn’t have financial security even after being on the show.
Mitte had been promoting his 2026 movie schedule entry, Talking to Strangers, in recent weeks and, during that press tour, he stopped by the Iced Coffee Hour podcast (as shared on YouTube). Amid the conversation, the hosts brought up the fact that the actor previously claimed the Vince Gilligan-created crime drama didn’t make him a millionaire. Once that was mentioned, Mitte reiterated that sentiment and also dropped another major claim:
No, not even close. I’ve paid more in taxes than I got from Breaking Bad.
To put it mildly, BB is a classic TV show filled with great seasons and, at this point, it’s a high-profile franchise. Considering how big the show became during its five-season run from 2008 to 2013, some may be surprised to hear Mitte talk about not having had much money afterwards. The Oak Room star, however, didn’t name AMC or any members of the production when discussing his money woes. Apparently, various financial obligations on his end were what depleted his earnings:
I had a big team at one point, and I was traveling the world doing stuff, and so mostly my team, I was paying to keep my career going, you know, like I was paying to keep pushing forward and to keep doing that and everything went back into the business.
Mitte’s comments signify a reality that a number of actors face as they attempt to continue working within the entertainment industry. Not every star has the luxury of having consistent – and financially fruitful – employment. The Triumph star didn’t go into the specifics of his net worth during the interview but, regardless, it’s unfortunate to think that he wasn’t able to fully enjoy the fruits of his labor.
When it comes to the characters on Breaking Bad, Walt Jr. is arguably one of the most innocent people in that wild universe of drug dealers and criminals. Jr. manages to mostly avoid the drama that surrounds his parents throughout the show’s run, though he eventually learns of his dad’s criminal misdeeds. It’s that revelation that leads to a heated phone conversation between father and son, which serves as one of BB’s most mind-blowing moments.
Of course, Mitte will be remembered for much more than his performance on Breaking Bad (which is streamable with a Netflix subscription). The actor – who had cerebral palsy like his character – will also be held in high regard for his passionate advocacy for the disabled community. And something else I’d argue will be missed about Mitte is how candid he was about different aspects of his life, including his money challenges.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our condolences to RJ Mitte’s family and friends during this difficult time.
