Catching up with "Breaking Bad's" RJ Mitte in his hometown

From The Daily World in Opelousas, Louisiana:

Attending red carpet events is becoming a regular part of R.J. Mitte’s life. Since the Lafayette native joined the cast of the hit AMC series, Breaking Bad, he has attended a number of premieres and awards ceremonies.

Mitte is preparing for another walk on the red carpet during the 61st annual Emmy Awards in September. The show has received five Emmy nominations, including one for Best Drama. The show took two Emmys last time around.

Mitte plays the part of Walter White Jr., the son of a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher, played by Bryan Cranston, who has turned to cooking crystal meth to support his pregnant wife and son who has cerebral palsy, after he is gone. Cranston’s part in the edgy series garnered him the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2008.

Now living in Hollywood, the almost-17-year-old is getting ready to move next week to Albequerque, N.M., to begin shooting season three of the series.

The soft-spoken teen has had to make some adjustments since his days in Lafayette.
“I’m not shy and quiet, anymore. I can’t be timid,” he said. “I have to meet people and do my job.”

In the past few years, that job has been expanding.

Just a few years ago, he moved away from Lafayette with his mother and sister, Lacianne, to pursue acting full-time. He had a few parts as a part as a background character in a few series, including the popular Disney offering, Hannah Montana. One thing led to another and he landed the role on the AMC series that has darkly comedic overtones.

Mitte, who has been referred to by USA Today as a “babe magnet” on the set, brings his own life experience to the role of a teen with cerebral palsy.

Although he had to learn to use crutches and slur his speech for the role, in real life, he works at physical and occupational therapy daily to overcome the effects of the mild case of cerebral palsy he was born with. The Screen Actors Guild recently named Mitte as its spokesperson for actors with disabilities.

Besides working on Breaking Bad, Mitte has a few other projects in the works.
In November, he will be in Canada for the filming of a movie called Wildflowers, starring Frances Fisher. Mitte’s sister, 6-year-old Lacianne, will be in the film, along with Mitte, who is also one of the producers on the project.

He is also working as a producer on a documentary called The Kids of Whitney High.
Although the job of a producer conjures up only vague images in most people’s minds, Mitte defines it simply.

“He hands out money,” he said. “He gets funding. It’s one of the many functions of producers.”

Mitte also hopes to branch out into directing eventually.

His life has changed in a number of ways. People have begun to recognize him — in some places, anyway.

“It’s more in Louisiana and Albequerque,” he said. “In L.A., everybody is an actor and everybody is on a TV show.”

So far, Mitte has been able to avoid some of the pitfalls that many young actors seem to be attracted to.

“He is a down-to-earth person,” said his manager, Addison Witt. “The one thing that’s really cool is that he totally gets it. He enjoys it. He loves the social aspects of being out and being on the red carpet, interacting with people, but at the end of the day, he knows it’s a job.”

His family back home say he hasn’t changed.

“He’s a very polite and lovable child,” said his great-aunt, Shannie Theriot of Opelousas. Dyna Mitte’s late father, Larry Carriere, was an Opelousas native.

Mitte and his family still return to Louisiana a few times a year to visit family and friends.

Mitte stays in touch with some of his friends here at home, who will so go off and begin theri own lives.

“Josh Northway will be going into the military; Drew Van Eaton — we’ve been friends since we were 5 — he’s going to UNO; and Ainsley Lollar is going to LSU.”

Mitte spends 13 hours a day on the set, leaving no time to attend regular high school, but Sony and AMC provide a tutor to get him through high school. He has a 3.65 grade point average, his mother said.

In the fall, he plans to begin his senior year as a high school student and his freshman year at Glendale Community College simultaneously. He plans to eventually earn a master’s degree in business from UCLA.

But for the next six months, his main concern will be filming the third season of Breaking Bad. And that’s a full-time job.

“Everybody tells me how lucky I am to be on Breaking Bad,” Mitte said. “It’s hard enough to be on a bad show, but when you land on a good show, it’s even harder.”