Breaking Bad actor Mike Batayeh dies aged 52 from sudden heart attack

US actor and comedian Mike Batayeh, best known for his role in the hit series Breaking Bad, has passed away at the age of 52. His family informed TMZ that he died in his sleep on June 1 at his Michigan home, following a heart attack. Batayeh had no known history of heart problems, and his family described his passing as sudden.

In a statement, the family said, “He will be greatly missed by those who loved him” and others who enjoyed his career. Batayeh appeared in three episodes of Breaking Bad in 2011, playing Dennis Markowski, the manager of Lavandería Brillante industrial laundromat, which was a front for a large meth lab operation.

Batayeh’s career also included appearances in films such as American Dreamz and Detroit Unleaded, as well as TV shows like The Bernie Mac Show and CSI: Miami. He provided voice acting for X-Men: Days of Future Past. Batayeh is survived by five siblings and a large extended family, as stated in an online obituary.

Tributes from colleagues and co-stars have been pouring in. Hollywood director and friend Rola Nashef wrote on Facebook, “A devastating loss of a huge life – Mike Batayeh, you were everybody’s friend. And I mean everybody. There isn’t a person that I introduced you to or a waitress that took our order whom you didn’t make laugh, think, inspire and root for.”

Yorg Kerasiotis, Batayeh’s co-star in Detroit Unleaded, wrote, “You were the superstar we always admired and one of the funniest men I’ve ever known. Please rest in peace.”