‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Star Opens Up About Leaving Hollywood: “I Don’t Know Where I’d Be If I Stayed in the Entertainment”

Frankie Muniz, who became a household name as the mischievous Malcolm in the hit Fox sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle” two decades ago, walked away from acting after the show ended in 2006 to pursue a career in professional racing.

Now 39, Muniz is returning to the small screen for the upcoming “Malcolm in the Middle” revival, giving him a new perspective on the life-changing choice he made years ago.

“It was in 2006 originally. ‘Malcolm’ had just ended. I was really kind of at the height of my career,” Muniz told The Post while promoting his partnership with Autotrader and the Fasterclass campaign.

“I had tons of movie offers and options, and I got this opportunity to race cars professionally. I had only acted since I was eight. So eight to 22. It’s all I knew. I loved it — but I also knew that I wanted to try something else.”

Muniz explained that he made a firm decision at the time to leave acting behind. “I really don’t care what comes in, I don’t care what the offers are. I really want to focus on this. I want to try it. Because I feel like if I don’t give it 100% and then I stop, I’ll always regret not really giving it a shot.”

Reflecting on his decision now, Muniz admitted uncertainty about the path he left behind but confidence in where he is today. “I don’t know for sure. I don’t know where I’d be if I stayed in the entertainment world. But I know that I’m exactly where I want to be now,” he said. He added that stepping away from acting helped him appreciate the craft even more. “After getting to film the ‘Malcolm’ reboot, I really love being an actor as well.”

Muniz has been balancing his return to acting with his racing career, making his NASCAR debut in 2023. Despite a wrist injury in August, he returned to racing in October. In recent years, he has appeared in shows such as “The Rookie,” “New Amsterdam,” and “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,” and starred in the 2025 sci-fi film “Renner” alongside Marcia Gay Harden.

The four-episode revival, titled “Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair,” is set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026. Muniz will reprise his role as Malcolm, joined by original cast members Jane Kaczmarek and Bryan Cranston as his parents, and Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield as his brothers.

“I was nervous,” Muniz said about returning to the role. “But I cannot explain to you how quick it felt like home. Like immediate.” He shared a personal anecdote about watching the series with his wife in 2017. “She had never seen the show. We watched all 151 episodes. At the very end, she goes, ‘You weren’t acting at all. You are Malcolm.’ I was like, ‘No, I’m not. I don’t complain that much!’”

Muniz emphasized the ease of reuniting with the cast, saying it felt like no time had passed. “Justin, who plays Reece, he’s been out of the acting world for years. But he was right back into the character. Obviously Bryan Cranston is Bryan Cranston — probably one of the greatest actors ever. Jane. Everybody just fell right back into it.”

Not every original cast member is returning. Erik Per Sullivan, who played Malcolm’s brother Dewey, has been out of acting for over a decade and chose not to participate. Muniz explained, “He’s very happy in the life that he’s created outside of the entertainment world, and he made the decision that he didn’t want to get back into it — which we completely respect.”

Working alongside Cranston again was a highlight for Muniz. “When people always ask who’s my favorite actor I worked with, I always say Bryan. He always gives it 110%. It doesn’t matter if he’s off camera. He is committed to doing the best job humanly possible, which I think is an amazing attribute in anything that you do. He was also just so nice and genuine and kind to everybody on set. It inspired me to kind of be the same. I want people to work with me and think similarly of what I think of him.”

With the revival, Muniz is embracing both his acting past and his present career as a race car driver. “It’s rare that you get another chance at something, right? Also to be 20 years later and know the impact that the show had on people all around the world. You go into it with a greater appreciation, but also know that people are really going to love it.”

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