Where are the Malcolm In The Middle stars now? As Frankie Muniz reunites with TV parents Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek after 20 years - a look at the varying fates of the show's cast

Daily Mail​

23-04-2025

Frankie Muniz sent fans wild on Tuesday as he reunited with TV parents Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek on the set of the Malcolm In The Middle (MITM) reboot.
The actor, 39, had sparked concern earlier in the week when he admitted he was at a 'mental and emotional' low but looked in good spirits as he posed for a sweet snap with his co-stars.
While it's been two decades since their beloved sitcom MITM came to an end in 2006, fans will soon be treated to a reboot after Disney Plus green lighted a limited four-episode series.
The story will revolve around Malcolm's parents Hal and Lois who demand that he and his daughter attend their 40th anniversary party.
Several of the show's stars will be returning to reprise their roles, including Christopher Masterson (Francis) and Justin Berfield (Reese), but not all the show's beloved stars will be back, including Erik Per Sullivan, who played Malcolm's younger brother Dewey, but quit acting in 2010.
So where are the stars of Malcolm In The Middle now?
Frankie Muniz (Malcolm)
Frankie was just a teenager when he rocketed to fame in 2000 as the titular star of MITM, playing a a child genius with an IQ of 165 growing up in a dysfunctional family as one of four brothers.
By 2003 he was dubbed one of 'Hollywood's most bankable teens' having appeared in a string of movies including Big Fat Liar and Agent Cody Banks.
Yet when his sitcom came to an end three years later, he expressed a desire to leave traditional Hollywood film roles behind, saying: 'Growing up has never scared me until last year. I started thinking about getting older, being an adult, and it scared me.
'Hopefully things will work out in my career. If they don't, then it was never meant to be.'
While he continued to work on films and TV shows he didn't achieve the same level of fame he had as a child and he soon put his acting career on hold to pursue racing.
After making a name for himself on the circuit, last year Frankie revealed he was becoming a NASCAR racer at the age of 38.
Speaking to PEOPLE, Frankie said of the shock move: 'I don't want to say it's a long time coming, but this has been a dream of mine for forever...
'I wanted to do it. I grew up watching NASCAR. I was a huge fan, but it's not something I necessarily thought that I'd ever get the opportunity to do. I want people to know that I've literally dedicated my life to this.'
He added: 'The kid from Malcolm in the Middle is racing in NASCAR. You know what I mean? And that's what people say, but I am. I did it.'
As well as racing, Frankie was briefly a drummer for a band called You Hang Up from 2012 until 2014 and appeared on Dancing with the Stars and the Australian edition of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
Frankie has faced several health issues over the years, including nine concussions as well as mini-strokes which he recently revealed were migraines auras following an official diagnosis.
He has also suffered an assortment of injuries during his time as a professional race car driver, such as a broken back.
Jane Kaczmarek (Lois)
In 2009 she filed for divorce from fellow actor and The West Wing star Bradley Whitford after 17 years of marriage (pictured at the 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards)
After MITM ended, Jane took on a new sitcom role alongside Ted Danson, starring in Help Me Help You, but it was cancelled after just one season (pictured in 2019)
Jane earned three Golden Globe nominations and seven Primetime Emmy nominations playing frazzled mother Lois in the hit sitcom.
Prior to landing her breakout role she appeared on many television shows in recurring and guest-starring roles such as Frasier and Cybill
Jane was also a regular on the first eight episodes of the Showtime run of The Paper Chase, as Connie Lehman.
After MITM ended, Jane took on a new sitcom role alongside Ted Danson, starring in Help Me Help You, but it was cancelled after just one season.
While she continued to work in acting she made sure to prioritise family, admitting her demanding job on MITM had stopped her from spending as much time with her children as she would have liked.
Jane previously admitted: 'My daughter Frances once told me that the best news I could give her was that 'Malcolm' had been canceled. She screamed with joy the day they pulled the plug.'
In 2009 she filed for divorce from fellow actor and The West Wing star Bradley Whitford after 17 years of marriage.
Jane reunited with co-star Bryan in 2013 to film a hilarious alternate ending for his gritty drama Breaking Bad.
Released on DVD, the scene showed Bryan reprising his MITM character Hal, and waking up to discover that the entire TV series and the Walter White role had been Hal's nightmare, with Jane on hand as Lois to comfort him.
Most recently, she appeared in one episode of the 2023 TV series, The Changeling.
Bryan Cranston (Hal)
He previously revealed he would be taking a break from acting for a period of at least six months in 2026 to spend more time with his wife (pictured in March)
Arguably the most successful of the MITM cast, Bryan's established acting career has seen him bag including six Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, and two Tony Awards
Yet it was role as loveable father Hal in Malcolm In The Middle that saw him first gain prominence.
After the series came to an end he landed the lead role of Walter White in the television series Breaking Bad, for which he gained widespread acclaim.
His other notable works include a role in the Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan.
In 2015 he earned nominations for the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor for portraying Dalton Trumbo in the Hollywood blacklist drama Trumbo.
Earlier this year it was announced that Bryan would return to the stage in a Ivo van Hove directed production of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.
The consummate leading man previously won an Tony for his 2014 performance as former US President Lyndon B Johnson in All They Way.
While he has signed on for the play and the MITM reboot, he previously revealed he would be taking a break from acting for a period of at least six months in 2026 to spend more time with his wife.
Clearing up any confusion, he posted on Instagram: 'I am not retiring. What I am going to do is hit the pause button for a year after I reach my 70th birthday in 2026. Holy c**p - 70!'
'I'm not even sure what 'pausing' means entirely, but at this moment,' he admitted. 'I think it means that by taking a year off it will provide several things;'
Bryan went on to describe the 'pause' as a way to 'reset my career.'
'I could not be more grateful and thankful for such opportunities,' he shared, before elaborating even more about why he will be temporarily stepping away.
'I feel as though I'm beginning to run out of fresh ideas in how to play characters that I'm being offered. So exploring a more expanded life experience will give me the chance to replenish my soul and prepare for whatever roles I may be afforded in a more authentic way,' he explained.
Christopher Masterson (Francis)
Christopher rose to fame as the trouble-making oldest brother Francis in MITM, having been sent off to military school for misbehaving.
As well as his role in the sitcom, Christopher landed parts in MTV's Wuthering Heights and White Collar as well as a supporting role in Scary Movie 2.
Yet he pulled back from acting in recent years and has focused on his new career as a DJ.
In 2021, he welcomed a baby girl with his wife Yolanda Pecoraro.
Chris comes from a family of actors and is the brother of That 70s Show star Danny Masterson, and the maternal half-brother of The Walking Dead's Alanna Masterson and Last Man Standing's Jordan Masterson.
All four siblings are Scientologists and Christopher used to date their fellow Scientologist Laura Prepon, who acted with Danny on That '70s Show.
The Masterson family hit headlines in 2020 when Danny was charged in 2020 with forcibly raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003 when they were a part of the Scientology church. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Danny was ultimately found guilty of two counts of rape in May 2023, while the third count of rape resulted in a hung jury. In September 2023, he was ordered to serve 30 years to life in prison.
Last year, Danny was denied bail pending due to fears he would try to run.
Justin Berfield (Reese)
After the series came to an end, Justin moved behind the camera and began working as the Chief Creative Officer of production company Virgin Produced (pictured in February)
Justin began his acting career at the tender age of five when he landed a Folgers coffee commercial - going on to appear in several more American adverts in childhood.
Yet it was role in MITM that proved to be his breakthrough, with Justin starring as Reese, Malcom's impulsive and dimwitted older brother.
After the series came to an end, Justin moved behind the camera and began working as the Chief Creative Officer of production company Virgin Produced.
Speaking about his role, he told Variety in 2010: 'We are developing and producing films and television shows that are far from traditional. We aren't afraid to push the envelope with content.'
Speaking to Agoura Hills Patch a year later, Justin explained what inspired him to make the transition from acting to producing.
He said: 'I realised that I had been on two shows that syndicated to over 100 episodes and that I felt fulfilled as an actor and decided to try my hand at producing.
'I think people constantly are looking for fulfilment, and nothing is ever good enough, but I feel fortunate enough to have had the journey I have had so far.'
Talking about the difference between acting and producing, he added: 'They're both unique in their own ways, but I'm enjoying what I'm doing and where I'm at right now.
'It's a whole new level of stress. It's a different kind of stress, but they're both rewarding.'
Justin has two children with his wife Liza Almeida, whom he married in 2017.
Erik Per Sullivan (Dewey)
The former child star, who hasn't been publicly photographed since 2007, opted to leave Hollywood in the 2000s in favour of a more private life (pictured 2006)
Erik shot to fame playing Malcolm's troublesome little brother Dewey between the ages of eight and 14.
The star, now aged 33, went landed more acting roles during the show's run, getting parts in Joe Dirt, Wendigo, Unfaithful, The King of Queens, Finding Nemo, Christmas with the Kranks and Come On Over.
In 2010 he also took on the voice role of Timmy in Twelve.
But in recent years he stepped away from the limelight and hasn't been seen on any TV or film since the Noughties.
Erik is also the only member of the main cast who will not be returning for the show's upcoming reboot on Disney+.
Instead, his role has been recast with actor Caleb Ellsworth-Clark stepping in to fill the gap.
While his co-stars continued their careers in entertainment, Erik pursued higher education and has largely stayed out of the public eye.
He is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Victorian literature at a university in Massachusetts.
Although Erik has stayed out of the spotlight for years, his TV mum Jane gave an update on him last year.
In an interview with Malcolm France, Jane revealed that Erik was doing 'very well.'
'He's doing very well. He did Malcolm for seven years, he started at seven, he ended at 14. He wasn't interested in acting, at all,' she said of his different path.
She added: 'He goes to school at a very prestigious American university. He loves Charles Dickens.
'He's doing graduate work in Victorian literature. I admire it because so many people think being in show business is the greatest thing in the world, it's not for everyone.'
Craig Lamar Traylor (Stevie)
For seven glorious seasons, Craig played Malcolm's asthmatic best friend Stevie who was known for his heavy breathing and goody two shoes attitude
Earlier this year he briefly revived his acting career, taking on a minor role alongside Frankie in sci-thriller film Renner which premiered in February
For seven glorious seasons, Craig played Malcolm's asthmatic best friend Stevie who was known for his heavy breathing and goody two shoes attitude.
Prior to landing his hit role Craig had minor parts on TV shows such as ER, as well as playing an unnamed child in Matilda in 1996.
After MITM ended, Craig took his career in a new direction.
After moving to San Francisco he became a tattoo artist, spiritualist and wire artist, creating wearable art.
Earlier this year he briefly revived his acting career, taking on a minor role in sci-thriller film Renner which premiered in February.
Through his role as 'neighbour' he was able to reunite with Frankie, who took on the titular role in the film.
Speaking to MUSE TV at the premiere, Craig said he was excited to be back in the film industry and reconnect with Frankie.
He shared: 'It has been a while since I've been around and in this scene so this has been a good opportunity for me to come back and see some familiar faces and be in the art again.
'Me and Frankie spent our whole childhoods together I think rekindling that was my favourite part.'
Speaking of his role, he added: 'I'm in the apartment building I'm kind of a cool guy but I can't give too much away as my part kind of is pivotal for how the rest of the film goes'.
It is currently unknown if he will appear in the MITM reboot.
Gary Anthony Williams (Abe)
Playing Stevie's father and a close friend of the family was comedian and filmmaker, Gary Anthony Williams
Since 2013, Gary has featured as a guest performer on the CW revival of the improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? (pictured in 2024)
Playing Stevie's father and a close friend of the family was comedian and filmmaker, Gary.
His time on MITM set him up for a series of other roles, such as Judge Trudy's Bailiff on Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show and a stint on Television Network sketch comedy series, Blue Collar TV.
In 2009 and 2010, he voiced the supervillain Mongul for several episodes of the animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and also also voiced the supervillain Thunderball in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
He also worked on shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and American Dad! as a voice actor
Since 2013, Gary has featured as a guest performer on the CW revival of the improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Gary is also co-founder of the L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival.
David Anthony Higgins (Craig)
David had a recurring role as Harry in season two of the CBS series Mike & Molly, and was eventually upgraded to a series regular in season three (pictured with Billy Gardel and Melissa McCarthy)
David was famed for his role as Louis' co-worker Craig, a cowardly yet hopeless romantic who had unrequited feelings for her.
Before starring in MITM, David and his brothers Steve and Dave Gruber Allen, performed in a comedy troupe, Don't Quit Your Day Job.
After making a name for themselves on the tour circuit, they landed their own show, The Higgins Boys and Gruber, on HBO's The Comedy Channel in 1989.
David was then cast as outspoken barista Joe, starring alongside Ellen DeGeneres in the sitcom Ellen in 1994.
After MITM ended, he landed the role of Mr. Bitters in the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush and also appeared in three episodes of American Horror Story: Murder House as minor character Stan.
He had a recurring role as Harry in season two of the CBS series Mike & Molly, and was eventually upgraded to a series regular in season three.
David also briefly wrote and starred in his own show, International Ghost Investigators.
And what happened to Jamie?
The role of Malcolm's youngest brother Jamie was originally shared by identical twin brothers James and Lukas Rodriguez, who are no longer in showbusiness
Anthony took over for the final four episodes of the season but has been picked to join the cast for the 2025 reboot (pictured in 2022)
The role of Malcolm's youngest brother Jamie was originally shared by identical twin brothers James and Lukas Rodriguez, who are no longer in showbusiness.
Anthony took over for the final four episodes of the season but has been picked to join the cast for the 2025 reboot.
After MITM came to an end he went on to land roles in A Score to Settle starring Nicolas Cage and Lifetime original movie Imperfect High.
Most recently he appeared in CBS show Fire Country.