Reprint from the Breaking Bad Blog:
Actor RJ Mitte plays Walter White, Jr. on Breaking Bad. In an exclusive interview with AMCtv.com, he
talks about on-set firsts, his passion for travel, and his own automotive
aspirations.
Q: What do you think about the idea that a 17-year-old is one of
the most reasonable characters on the show?
A: I wouldn't say in all situations, but a lot of
times kids can be the most reasonable people around because they don't have the
deal with all the drama that goes along with being an adult. Walter Jr. does
not have a care in the world, so he can be Walter Jr. His main worry is school
and getting through school, but nobody really knows what goes on in Walter
Jr.'s life.
Q: Walter Jr. has had a lot of first time experiences throughout Breaking Bad. What are some firsts you've
had on set?
A: Actually, the first
is Breaking Bad: It's the first TV show
I've ever done.
Q: Let's talk a little bit about Season 4, Episode 6. What do you think of Walter Jr.'s selection of a Dodge Challenger?
A: I think he has great taste in cars. I love it. It's
everyone's dream car pretty much.
Q: Do you own a car?
A: Not at the moment but I'm thinking about
getting a Vespa.
Q: You've previously said that your post-graduation plans involved
traveling. Where have you gone?
A: I went to Washington, D.C. I went to Portland,
Oregon. Louisiana for a bit. Next week I'll be leaving for New Orleans, and
from there I think I'll be going to Cabo.
Q: What was one of your favorite experiences from these trips? How
does it relate to your acting?
A: I know one of my favorites right now is
Portland. I was filming a movie there and I had such an amazing time. I went to
some crazy events there and I definitely think I can bring that to Walter Jr.
because you know a 17-year-old is not just going to his friend's house to play
video games -- he's going to party.
Q: Which of the actors on the show would you like to have a scene
with that you really haven't had that much time on camera with?
A: I really want to have a scene with Saul. I
love Bob, he's a great guy and he is amazing at his trade. I see him almost
everyday on TV doing another character.
Q: Have you ever actually sat down for a meal with Anna Gunn and
Bryan Cranston off the set?
A: I did actually. We had dinner in Albuquerque
before we left.
Q: Do you ever get to hold Baby Holly on set?
A: I have not had the pleasure of holding Baby
Holly. Either Bryan or Anna have Baby Holly, so it's all good.
Q: Vince Gilligan has said that he strives to show the audience
something they haven't seen, or they don't see much. How have you tried to do
that with your portrayal of Walter Jr.?
A: There's not really too much you can do at the
breakfast table, but I try to throw in some interesting things to my character
as I'm playing him. There is really a lot that is going on inside the character
that's more crazy and troubling. I think once people get into the story of
Walter Jr. they're going to see another side of what's going on in his world.
Original Disaboom Story:
At age 16, R. J. Mitte (pronounced MITT-ee) is the breakout funnyman in AMC’s edgy, dark comedy centering on the terminally ill Walter White, a high school science teacher who starts manufacturing drugs to pay for his treatment for lung cancer. While White keeps his side business to himself, he does have a strong bond with his son Walter Jr. (played by Mitte), whose teenage angst is further complicated by cerebral palsy. Although Mitte, like the character he plays, lives with cerebral palsy, most casting directors wouldn’t be able to distinguish him from able-bodied actors. Mitte’s is a mild case of the neurological disorder and almost imperceptible thanks to extensive therapy. The teen had to make adjustments to play his Breaking Bad role, including exaggerating some of cerebral palsy’s more pronounced symptoms.
Relearning Cerebral Palsy
“It was very hard to regress,” Mitte told MSN’s TV News. “I had to stay up real late so I could learn to blur my speech more. I had to learn how to use crutches so it didn’t look like I’m faking walking. I didn’t want to look like just another faker, because I really have it. If you're going to do it, you have to do it the full way. No matter if you're regressing or if you're trying to make it look bad, you need to still try to do it right. It was hard at first, but after a while everybody would help me out. For example, I used to walk on my toes a lot when I was a kid because I could barely move my feet, so when I was learning to portray Walter Jr., my mom would remind me about that. It was a big help.”
Disability on TV
Bad is Mitte’s first major series and, as an actor with a disability, he remains a rarity in a Hollywood seemingly obsessed with perfect bodies. On the small screen, he reminds viewers of a vast demographic missing in the media. His role bucks the traditional convention of an industry currently populating television with people who are of Amazonian height, with sport-chiseled features and so many other things that most viewers aren't.
When speaking to USA Today about Mitte, Vince Gilligan, the creator of the series, said, “What I love about RJ is he’s like his character: He doesn’t feel sorry for himself. He’s a teenager who just happens to have cerebral palsy.” Gilligan developed the part of Walter Jr. in honor of a now-deceased man with a disability he befriended in his youth at New York University.
Because Walter Jr. uses crutches and has a different speech pattern, the effects of the condition are clearly a part of his on-screen life. Yet the words "cerebral palsy" have never made their way into the show’s script. To his parents, Walter Jr. appears to be simply their son, not their son born with cerebral palsy. Likewise, the role may mean Mitte will someday be known as an outstanding actor instead of as an outstanding actor with cerebral palsy.
Breaking Bad was created by highly acclaimed writer, producer and director Vince Gilligan (The X-Files) and executive produced by Oscar-winner Mark Johnson (The Chronicles of Narnia, The Notebook, Donnie Brasco).
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