Contact: Leah Barbour
Photo by: submitted
STARKVILLE, Miss.--He rose to fame playing Walt White Jr. on TV's critically acclaimed AMC drama, "Breaking Bad," but R.J. Mitte plans to promote equality when he visits Mississippi State University.
His public presentation will be held Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in Lee Hall's Bettersworth Auditorium. Tickets are free and may be picked up at the door. They also are available in advance from the Center for Student Activities, event sponsor, in suite 314, Colvard Student Union.
After Mitte speaks, a moderated Q-and-A session will follow.
On "Breaking Bad," he played a character with cerebral palsy, the same disability he battles in real life. While Mitte has a much milder form compared to the character he played on the hit TV show, he learned as a child how to confront and overcome many of the challenges created by the disability.
Mitte emphasizes equality and diversity in his roles as youth spokesperson for several organizations, including the National Disability Institute's Real Economic Impact Tour, the "Beyond Diversity -- the future is now" campaign, and the "I AM PWD" movement advocating for actors with disabilities. Mitte also was named the United Cerebral Palsy Celebrity Youth Ambassador in 2011.
Whether he speaks at universities, colleges or high schools, he tells audiences how he overcomes obstacles to achieve his goals. Mitte also emphasizes bullying prevention across a range of platforms, including YouTube, press statements and media interviews.
Additionally, Mitte works with PACER's National Center for Bullying Prevention to engage and educate bystanders watching bullying behavior. Teaching witnesses how to support the people targeted by bullying behavior is the center's mission.
Since the series finale of "Breaking Bad" in 2013, Mitte continues playing characters who overcome obstacles. He joined the cast of ABC's family drama "Switched at Birth" as Campbell, a pre-med college student paralyzed by a snowboarding accident. He also presented at the documentary premiere of "CinemAbility," a detailed look at disability in entertainment, and Mitte appeared in a recent fantasy thriller film, "House of Last Things."
For more information about Mitte's upcoming MSU appearance, contact the Center for Student Activities at 662-325-2930.