Actor and comedian Mike Batayeh, best known for his role in the critically acclaimed TV series, Breaking Bad, has died at the age of 52. The news was confirmed by his family, who explained that the star died in his sleep due to a heart attack on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at his home in Michigan.
Mike played Dennis Markowski, the manager at Gustavo ‘Gus’ Fring’s (played by Giancarlo Esposito) industrial laundromat, the Lavanderia Brillante, in the award-winning show’s fourth and fifth seasons.
“Breaking Bad” actor Mike Batayeh has died at 52-years-old from a heart attack🙏😔 pic.twitter.com/rkrXHXPZCo
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 10, 2023
In a heartfelt note, Mike Batayeh’s family stated:
“He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many.”
With a heavy heart, the actor’s sister explained that his demise was “very sudden” as he did not have a history of heart attacks.
Breaking Bad is a story about Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer who decides to get into the meth-making business to pay his medical debt. He later partners up with his student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul).
Mike’s Dennis Markowski is introduced in the twelfth episode of season four, titled End Times, when two Albuquerque DEA agents come to investigate Gus’ laundromat. The shop is a cover for a meth superlab, as its regular chemical usage and deliveries made it possible to easily conceal the activity. Initially, Markowski refuses to let the agents snoop around the lab, but after being threatened with a warrant, he nervously agrees.
He is later seen at the beginning of season five, when it is revealed that Mike Batayeh’s character was incarcerated for being connected to Gus, who was recently murdered.
https://youtu.be/xgy8l_q7bjs
Fan-favorite character, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), a hitman, and Dan Wachsberger, a lawyer, later visit him, disguised as paralegals to discuss his “hazard pay.” Dennis tells them he will keep his mouth shut and serve his time and in return, Mike would recoup his lost funds from Gus’ business.
After Dan comes under investigation and Mike runs away as a result, Dennis’ fate is left to the hands of a public defender who says that Mike (Dennis) could choose to tell all he knows in exchange for legal immunity. But he is silenced in an orchestrated series of prison murders, where he is burned alive. It is later revealed that Walter White was responsible for these murders.
Batayeh was born in Detroit, Michigan, and has appeared in several hit TV shows like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Sleeper Cell. Additionally, he has starred in films such as Don’t Mess with the Zohan and played the lead role in 2012’s Detroit Unleaded.
The star is also known for being active in the comedy scene and has performed at New York’s Gotham and Los Angeles’ Laugh Factory, Comedy Store, and the Icehouse. He has led shows on the international circuits as well.
Speaking with MacroFilm, Batayeh had once shared advice for aspiring actors, saying:
“Lots of people and including myself in the past thought this was consciously or unconsciously… So be aware and treat every opportunity like it’s THE opportunity.”