In an interview with the Inside of You podcast, ‘Malcolm In The Middle’ star Frankie Muniz discussed his time as a child star, how he got his big break on the sitcom, and lamented the sacrifices his family made for his career.
During the discussion, he explained how his parents separated before he landed the role. He moved in with his mother in New Jersey while his sister went to live with their father. Eventually, she moved in with Muniz and their mother, but landing the role in ‘Malcolm In The Middle’ disrupted the family structure once again.
He said Entertainment Weekly, “She finally moved up, and it wasn’t like a month later that I got Malcolm, and we moved to L.A.,” he said, discussing his sibling. “She [was] like, ‘You’re not moving.’ So she stayed with my grandparents in New Jersey, and we moved to L.A. So it’s this really weird dynamic to look at now.”
He said he was saddened by the realization that following his dream and some of the things he was doing affected every member of his family.
Muniz went on to share that the past year has been “the first time I thought about the past enough to think about the sacrifice that people made, and it made me really sad.” He also expressed his gratitude to his grandparents for being willing to raise his sister while he pursued his career in Los Angeles.
“The fact that they were so willing to help out and do whatever they could do for us to be available to go where I needed to go to do what I needed to do—it’s a realization I actually had this year,” he said. “I’m happy that I have people in my life like that, but it’s just a crazy thought that without that support, probably none of that happens.”
‘Malcolm In The Middle’ premiered in 2000 and ran for seven seasons. The show earned Muniz an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations before concluding in 2006.
The actor has also starred in projects such as ‘Deuces Wild,’ ‘Big Fat Liar,’ ‘Agent Cody Banks,’ and ‘Racing Stripes.’
