Former “Malcolm in the Middle” star Frankie Muniz has finally revealed why he disappeared for two entire episodes of the dysfunctional family Fox sitcom.
Muniz, 38 – who is currently on reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity Australia” – told his campmates why he stormed off the set for several weeks during the long run of “Malcolm in the Middle,” according to News.com.au.
“There were two episodes that I’m not in. I walked off that set,” he said of his time on “Malcolm in the Middle,” which aired from 2000 to 2006.
Muniz added that he couldn’t stand the tensions on set caused by “certain people” – although he didn’t name any names.
“Everyone was so afraid to stand up when certain people were bossy or rude or disrespectful,” he said. “Like they’re walking on pins and needles.”
The fan-favorite Fox sitcom, created by Linwood Boomer, starred Muniz as the genius younger brother Malcolm, with Christopher Masterson as his older brother – the delinquent Francis who is at military boarding school – and Justin Berfield as the role of the annoying second oldest brother, Reese.
Erik Per Sullivan played precocious younger brother Dewey, with future “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek as parents Hal and Lois Wilkerson.
“I was so mortified to see people afraid to stand up for themselves that I was like, ‘Say something,'” Muniz told his “I’m a Celebrity Australia” castmates. “I didn’t care if they told me I would never go back, because to me it was worth it.
“It helped that the show was based on me.”
Muniz revealed that life in Hollywood wasn’t for him, even when he was starring in a hit sitcom. He was nominated for an Emmy in 2001 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
“I never felt like I fully fit into the Hollywood world, even though I was in the world,” he told News.com.au before entering the southern jungle -African to compete on “I’m A Celebrity Australia”.
“I was nominated for Emmys and Golden Globes, and I was going to all this, and I was there, and I was like, how am I doing here?
“I hated Los Angeles, so I kind of stayed in my own little world, my own little bubble,” he said. “And I moved to Arizona, I did it on a whim, and I immediately realized I started looking up.
“I started to like looking at the trees and the birds in the sky. Going to the grocery store was a fun thing. You don’t get that in Los Angeles.
“It’s a miserable experience.”
During his time on “Malcolm in the Middle,” Muniz starred on the big screen in the hit films “Big Fat Liar” (2002), “Agent Cody Banks” (2003) and “Racing Stripes” (2005).
He was earning $150,000 per episode by the end of the series, according to the report.
Muniz retired from Hollywood to become a professional racing driver.
He is married to Paige Price and they have a 3-year-old son.
New York Post
