Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte says more disabled people need to appear on TV

Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte has called for more disabled actors to feature on TV and for them to not be typecast by their disability.

The 24-year-old made a name for himself playing Walter 'Flynn' White Jr on AMC's smash hit show – the teenage son of notorious science teacher-turned-meth-cook Walter White.

Flynn suffered from mild cerebral palsy, as does Mitte in real life, and his portrayal shed light on what life is like as a youngster with the condition.

Since the show's conclusion in 2013, Mitte has used his breakout profile to raise awareness of disability, attempting to alter attitudes towards disabled people by pushing for more mainstream integration.

Speaking to Channel 4 news, ahead of his new role with the channel as part of its Paralympic broadcasting team, Mitte reiterated the need for more disabled actors to be given a chance on screen.

"People want to see themselves on TV, and when you have a disability that number is so small – it needs to grow because it has such a big impact," he said.

And despite his own success as an actor and producer, the American is still acutely aware of the barriers blocking mainstream approval, reinforced by the lack of equal opportunities within the TV and film industry.

'You will never see an actor win an award for playing an able-bodied role, but you will always see an able-bodied actor [playing disabled characters]," argued Mitte.

When host Krishnan Guru-Murthy suggested he was already becoming that catalyst figure, Mitte remained unconvinced.

The young star – who now features in ABC drama Switched At Birth, portraying Campbell, a student paralysed and using a wheelchair following a snowboarding accident – questioned whether directors yet see him as an actor in his own right.

"I mean, at the same time do they actually consider me able-bodied? That's the question. At the end of the day they're like 'oh, he's still disabled', he's still a disabled character.

"Even if he's not highlighting his disability, he's still technically disabled – so it's that line of how that crosses over."

Despite these valid concerns, Mitte continues to be a trailblazer, walking the runway at a fashion show for Vivienne Westwood last year.

The actor will hit our screens as part of Channel 4's Paralympic coverage when the Games, which have been dogged by setbacks, begin in Rio on 7 September.