Frankie Muniz on his TV dad: Bryan Cranston still takes care of him

It’s been almost 20 years since the final episode of the sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle” aired. A lot has happened since then, especially for the head of the family, Hal, played by Bryan Cranston (68), and the eponymous Malcolm (Frankie Muniz, 38). But apparently TV blood is thicker than water, as Muniz chatted in an interview with Michael Rosenbaum (52). “He [Cranston, Anm. d. Red.] “Still contacts me every few weeks and asks how I’m doing,” enthuses the former child star.

This is special for so many reasons, he continues. “I started working with him when I was eleven or twelve years old.” So much has happened since then – Muniz is no longer active as an actor, but is now a musician and racing driver. And Cranston, meanwhile, rose from a “Malcolm in the Middle” actor to a multi-award-winning “Breaking Bad” and Hollywood star. Or, as Muniz put it: “He’s basically become a Hollywood god. He’s making incredible films, incredible series, has won a ton of awards.”

During their time together on the set of the sitcom, which ended in 2006, Cranston “really became something of a father figure to me,” reveals Muniz. And that hasn’t changed decades later: “He really cares about the things I do. He comes to my races, or when my band plays, has a gig.” Perhaps the best of the numerous compliments that Muniz had for his TV father in the podcast: “He’s such an inspiration. And that’s what I want to be for another person one day.”

From 2000 to 2006, a total of 151 episodes of the sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle” were created. While Cranston launched a global career, Muniz subsequently only appeared in individual series episodes or in smaller independent productions. Since 2023 he has been under contract as a racing driver in several leagues of the NASCAR series (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing).