The Malcolm in the Middle child star still thinks of TV dad Cranston as a “father figure,” praising him for his work ethic then and for how supportive the Breaking Bad star continues to be even as he’s become “like a Hollywood god at this point.”
Once a dad always a dad … even if it was just a TV dad.
18 years after Malcolm in the Middle ended its seven season run on Fox, Frankie Muniz says TV dad Bryan Cranston still touches base to see how things are going.
“He still reaches out to me every couple of weeks [to] check in on me,” Muniz said during a recent appearance on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast.
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Even more than that, Cranston shows up for Muniz the way a real parent would. “He really cares about what I’m doing, comes to the races, if my band was playing, came to shows,” Muniz shared.
As Cranston’s star continued to rise after their show together, Muniz marvels that he still finds the time for his on-screen son. “He really became like a father figure to me,” Muniz admitted. “And then even still to this day, you know, he’s essentially like a Hollywood god at this point.”
The 38-year-old former child star says it’s moving how invested the Breaking Bad star still is after all these years. “I mean, he’s such an inspiration,” the actor-turned-NASCAR driver said. “That’s what I strive to be for someone else in the future.”
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Muniz’ admiration of Cranston dates all the way back to the years they spent together on set from 2000 to 2006, with Muniz praising his co-star for always giving his best.
“He was the most incredible person because he showed up every day on set and gave it 100 percent,” he said. “He was so nice to everybody and you never ever saw him wanting to leave… he took advantage of that opportunity and he did his best work. So I’ve always used that as an inspiration.”
Even as their careers have gone in different directions, with Muniz shifting to his love of fast cars and rasing by signing his first contract with a major racing team in 2008 before making the big move to NASCAR this year, per Entertainment Weekly.
While Muniz occasionally dips his toes back into the acting world with an appearance here and there, he’s most shifted his focus to the racing circuit. But there is one project — and costar — that would give him pause and make him reconsider.
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“I want to see where Malcolm and his family are,” he admitted. “I think it would be so fun, you know, 20 years later to see where everybody is. That’s what I would love to do again.”
Cranston has shared similar curiosities, and interest in reprising his role, but he told EW last year that it’s all about finding the right story to justify bringing the whole family together again.
“I want it to be a good reason,” he told the outlet. “I don’t need a job. I don’t want to just be busy. But I love to work, and I would love to reunite with that cast and that crew, and tell those stories in that character again.
In the meantime, fans can follow Frankie Muniz as he competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving number 33 for Reaume Brothers Racing in 2025. Who knows, you might even run into Cranston at the tracks.
