Malcolm In The Middle's Frankie Muniz Makes Heartbreaking Confession About His Time On Show

Frankie Muniz, known for his role in "Malcolm in the Middle," has recently shared some insights into his early days as a child star.

Before he even hit 20, the success of the show turned him into a millionaire, a feat not many can claim.

Frankie, now 38, was just a bright-eyed 11-year-old when he started his stint on the sitcom, alongside Bryan Cranston of "Breaking Bad" fame.

Fast forward eight years to when he was 19, and he had a cool $40 million to his name.

Credit: Teen Vogue

After "Malcolm in the Middle," Frankie didn't slow down.

He landed roles in Disney's "Agent Cody Banks," "Racing Stripes," and "My Dog Skip," not to mention his guest spots on "Lizzie McGuire" and "Sabrina The Teenage Witch."

However, chasing the acting dream in Los Angeles came with its set of challenges for Frankie and his family.

During an episode of "I'm a Celeb Australia," he opened up to his campmates about the move from North Carolina to LA. 

This big leap meant his mom was his travel companion while his sister stayed back with his dad.

This period also saw his parents getting a divorce. 

Frankie reflected: "Me and my mom went, but my sister stayed with my dad in North Carolina. But my mom and dad ended up getting a divorce during that time."

"So in that sense it's kind of sad to think about that it really did separate the family."

He further mentioned: "I don't know how much positive it brought to the family. I wasn't a part of the family since I was 11 because that's when I left."

Credit: Getty Images

By 17, Frankie was questioning his acting career, telling CBS: "I still don't know if I want to be an actor. I still don't know if that's what I want to do when I grow up."

He also shared his thoughts on wealth, saying: "I always said when I got to my first million, we shouldn't be talking about money, but when I got to my first million, I was rich."

"I'm waiting for a hundred, and then I'll be done … because that's enough."

These days, Frankie has swapped acting for racing, aiming high in the world of NASCAR.

In a 2024 chat with CNBC's series Make It, he talked about seizing the day:

"There's a lot of things in my life I've wanted to try. And I've wanted to see if I could find success in these businesses."

"And fortunately, because of what I got as a child actor, it gave me the opportunity to step back and try those other things."

"It gave me the freedom to do that. And I'm forever grateful for that."