Posted in: Fox, TV | Tagged: fox, Frankie Muniz, malcolm in the middle

Malcolm in the Middle Star Muniz on Why He Walked Off Show for 2 Eps

Frankie Muniz (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) opened up about what led him to walk off the set of Malcolm in the Middle for two episodes.

Published Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:37:07 -0500

by Tom Chang

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Article Summary

Frankie Muniz discusses walking off 'Malcolm in the Middle' due to on-set toxicity.
Two episodes of the sitcom exclude Muniz after he stood up against intimidating behavior.
Muniz balances acting with racecar driving, including guest roles on 'Awkwafina Is Nora'.
Open to a 'Malcolm in the Middle' revival, Muniz occasionally chats with Bryan Cranston.

Frankie Muniz's issues becoming a rising star in Hollywood have been well-documented, but what may have come as a surprise is how it dates back to his signature Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. The actor shared a story on I'm A Celebrity Australia on why he's not in two of the 151 episodes of the Linwood Boomer, Michael Gluberman, and Gary Murphy series (via News.com.au).

Malcolm in the Middle: Muniz on Possible Revival w/ Cranston Writing — Bryan Cranston and Frankie Muniz in Malcolm in the Middle. Image courtesy of 20th Century Studios

Frankie Muniz on Dealing with the On-Set Chaos on Malcolm in the Middle

"There were two episodes I'm not in. I walked off the set," Muniz revealed on the toxic conditions on set, citing "certain people" had become too out of control that their presence intimidated the cast and crew. "Everyone was so afraid to stand up when certain people were controlling or rude or disrespectful. Like they walked on pins and needles," he explained. "I was so mortified by seeing people afraid to stand up for themselves, I was like: 'Say something.' I didn't care if they told me I was never going back because it was worth it to me. It helped that the show was based around me."

Malcolm in the Middle ran for seven seasons from 2000-2006 and starred Muniz as the title character, a prodigy and middle child of a dysfunctional blue-collar family with older brother Reese (Justin Berfield), a bully, struggling in school; younger brother Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan), underappreciated but resourceful; Francis (Christopher Masterson), oldest brother with a penchant for trouble who gets sent off to military school; Hal (Bryan Cranston), the hapless family patriarch who means well; and Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), overbearing and overworked mother who acts like a glue to the family to try to keep the chaos contained.

Muniz, whose primary focus is racecar driving, is okay taking the occasional guest role (like on Comedy Central's Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens), sometimes playing a fictionalized version of himself, including on the animated Max DC comedy Harley Quinn. The actor is also open to reprising his role, occasionally talking to Cranston about a revival/legacy sequel project.

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