“Breaking Bad” co-star RJ Mitte took on the issue of bullying, as well as difficulties faced by people with disabilities during his visit to St. Thomas Monday.

Mitte’s lecture at the university was part of his ongoing effort to raise awareness of the challenges faced by the disabled, as well as what he thinks people can do to make a difference. Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a 3-year-old, played Walter White’s disabled son, Walter Jr., in the television series “Breaking Bad.”

“You can define someone’s life for the better, and we’re all in a position to do that,” Mitte said. “At the end of the day, if you make that small effort to just smile, to just show the smallest generosity, you can affect so many people’s lives.”

Mitte entered the acting business after his younger sister was spotted by a talent scout. He began working with an agent and learning how to act. Mitte landed his role on “Breaking Bad” after five auditions and said he is glad he had the chance to accurately portray a character with cerebral palsy.

“Disability is such a big issue that no one wants to talk about,” Mitte said. “It’s really important for me to just simply be able to talk about the importance of having disabled characters and seeing them portrayed accurately.”

Mitte works with PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Shriners Children’s Hospital and other organizations that advocate for people with disabilities.

Assistant Director of Campus Life Krysten Edwards said over 300 students attended the lecture, and that she hoped students took away a positive message.

“Even though bad things can happen or things maybe not work out the way you want them, you can still grow,” Edwards said.

Freshman Hannah Drazenovich said she attended the speech because she is a fan of “Breaking Bad.”

“That was a pretty cool experience,” Drazenovich said. “A lot of it was for my sister, because she loves him (Mitte) too.”

Freshman Evan Young said he was inspired by Mitte’s achievements.

“I actually didn’t know that he was disabled, I thought it was all acting,” Young said. “To find out that he actually did have CP (cerebral palsy) and managed to be this huge success that he was … just really inspiring.”

Junior Matt Fernholz said Mitte’s portrayal of Walter Jr. was one of the things he enjoyed most about “Breaking Bad.”

“I think one of the biggest strengths of ‘Breaking Bad’ is the great cast of characters,” Fernholz said. “I think with RJ, he really kind of adds a unique dimension to the show because of his cerebral palsy and bringing that on and kind of bringing light to that disease.”

Mitte said that everyone has an obligation to make a difference.

“Stand up, make that difference,” Mitte said. “After you leave the facilities, after you leave the classes, don’t leave that behind.”

Grace Pastoor can be reached at past6138@stthomas.edu.