Frankie Muniz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frankie Muniz
Muniz in 2025
Born	Francisco Muniz IV (1985-12-05) December 5, 1985 (age 39) Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actor racing driver
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Paige Price ​ ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	1
Atlantic Championship
Years active	2007–2009
Teams	Jensen MotorSport, Pacific Coast Motorsports, Team Stargate Worlds
Starts	32
Wins	0
Poles	0
Fastest laps	1
Best finish	9th in 2009
Championship titles
2005	Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race Celebrity Winner
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
2 races run over 1 year
2024 position	105th
Best finish	105th (2024)
First race	2024 United Rentals 300 (Daytona)
Last race	2024 Call811.com Every Dig. Every Time. 200 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
10 races run over 2 years
Truck no., team	No. 33 (Reaume Brothers Racing)
2024 position	54th
Best finish	54th (2024)
First race	2024 Rackley Roofing 200 (Nashville)
Last race	2018 Stratosphere 200 (Las Vegas)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
Statistics current as of April 12, 2025.

Frankie Muniz (born December 5, 1985) is an American actor and race car driver. He became famous in the 2000s for playing the main character, Malcolm, in the TV show Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006). For this role, he was nominated for an Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.

Muniz also starred in movies like Big Fat Liar (2002), Agent Cody Banks (2003), and Racing Stripes (2005). In 2003, he was one of the most popular young actors in Hollywood.

In 2008, Muniz paused his acting career to focus on open-wheel racing. He returned to racing in 2021, competing in stock car racing. In 2023, he finished 4th in the ARCA Menards Series. Currently, he races full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Early Life and Beginnings

Frankie Muniz IV was born in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, on December 5, 1985. His mother, Denise, was a nurse, and his father, Francisco Muñiz III, was a restaurateur. His mother has Irish and Italian roots, and his father is Puerto Rican. Frankie has an older sister named Cristina.

When he was four, his family moved to Knightdale, North Carolina. He was discovered at age eight at a talent show in Raleigh, North Carolina. He played Tiny Tim in a local play of A Christmas Carol. After his parents divorced, he moved with his mother to Burbank, California. He was homeschooled by his mother starting in sixth grade.

Acting Career Highlights

Muniz in 2007

Muniz started his career in commercials. He made his TV movie debut in To Dance with Olivia (1997). That same year, he appeared in What the Deaf Man Heard. A small role in the film Lost & Found (1999) led to his big break.

Starring in Malcolm in the Middle

Frankie Muniz became widely known as the main character in the TV show Malcolm in the Middle. The show first aired on Fox on January 9, 2000. It was very popular right away. The first episode was watched by 23 million people. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2001 for his work on the show.

During his time on TV, Muniz also made guest appearances. He was on shows like Lizzie McGuire and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.

Film Roles and Voice Acting

His first main movie role was as Willie Morris in the 2000 family drama My Dog Skip. This movie came out around the same time as Malcolm in the Middle. He also voiced the character Domino in the 2000 video game 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue.

In 2001, he voiced a bear cub in Dr. Dolittle 2. Muniz was also the voice of Chester McBadBat in the first two seasons of The Fairly OddParents. He had a big hit with the 2002 movie Big Fat Liar. In this film, he starred with Amanda Bynes. They played students who wanted revenge on a movie producer.

In 2003, he played the main role in the movie Agent Cody Banks. He also starred in its sequel, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London. For these films, he trained in martial arts and did many of his own stunts. He said this was a time when he wanted to become an actor.

In 2005, Muniz voiced a zebra named Stripes in the movie Racing Stripes. This zebra wanted to become a racehorse. Malcolm in the Middle ended its run on May 14, 2006. A few days later, Muniz appeared in the horror film Stay Alive.

Later Acting Work

In late 2007, he made a guest appearance in an episode of the CBS crime show Criminal Minds. In December 2007, he had a small role in the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, playing Buddy Holly.

In 2011, Muniz starred in the family action film Pizza Man. In 2012, he had a cameo as himself in the comedy Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. In 2015, he appeared in The Mysteries of Laura.

In 2021, he was a guest star in an episode of ABC's The Rookie. He played a former child actor who became a cult leader. In December 2023, he starred in Santa's Training Camp/Ford Performance.

In December 2024, it was announced that Muniz would return as Malcolm in a four-episode Malcolm in the Middle reboot for Disney+. He filmed this with original cast members Brian Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek in April and May 2025.

Racing Career

Muniz at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in 2011

Muniz's No. 35 car at Daytona International Speedway

Muniz's No. 33 truck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025

Frankie Muniz has always been very interested in car racing. On February 18, 2001, he drove the pace car for the Daytona 500.

Early Racing Steps

Muniz's racing career began in 2004. He participated in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in Long Beach. He finished 7th. The next year, he finished third and was the best celebrity driver. He then signed a two-year deal with Jensen Motorsport to be a driver.

In 2006, Muniz raced in fourteen Formula BMW USA events. He also competed in the Formula BMW World Final in Valencia, finishing 29th. In 2007, he moved to the more competitive Champ Car Atlantic Series. He raced in all 12 events that season. His best finish was ninth place.

In 2008, he joined Pacific Coast Motorsports. He aimed to consistently finish in the top ten. He ended the 2008 season in eleventh place. He also won the Jovy Marcelo Award for good sportsmanship. In 2009, Muniz joined Team Stargate Worlds. He finished in the top ten in every race he entered, with a best finish of fourth.

Return to Stock Car Racing

In 2011, Muniz returned to the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race, finishing 4th. On October 23, 2021, he made his stock car racing debut. He raced in the SRL Pro Late Model series in Bakersfield, California.

In January 2022, Muniz tested for the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway. On January 11, 2023, it was announced he would drive full-time for Rette Jones Racing in the ARCA Menards Series. He finished fourth in the standings, with one top-five and 11 top-ten finishes. His best finish was fifth at Michigan International Speedway.

On February 9, 2024, Muniz made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Daytona. He also competed part-time in that series. On June 19, 2024, he made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Nashville Superspeedway. He also made two more starts for the team. On October 22, 2024, it was announced that Muniz would drive full-time for Reaume Brothers Racing in the NASCAR Truck Series 2025 season.

Other Ventures

Music and Management

In 2010, Muniz joined the band You Hang Up as a drummer. In 2012, he joined Kingsfoil, a band from York, Pennsylvania. He left the band in 2014 due to scheduling conflicts.

In 2017, Muniz announced he was managing the band Astro Lasso. This band includes Jordan Davis and Tristan Martin from his former band Kingsfoil. Muniz travels with the band, helping with their sound and lights. He is also their designated driver.

Business and Television Appearances

Muniz has been involved in real estate. In the early 2000s, he bought parking lots in Downtown Los Angeles to earn money. He sold these in 2006.

In 2018, Muniz and his wife, Paige Price, bought a specialty shop called Outrageous Olive Oils & Vinegars in Scottsdale, Arizona. They worked together, with Paige handling inventory and social media, and Frankie managing logistics. They sold the store in August 2020 because Paige was pregnant.

On September 6, 2017, Muniz competed on the 25th season of Dancing with the Stars. He finished in third place with his dance partner, Witney Carson. On August 1, 2018, he became the co-host of Dancing with the Stars: Juniors on ABC.

In March 2024, he joined the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! as a contestant. He left the show on April 14 for family reasons.

Personal Life and Health

Muniz is a fan of the Arizona Cardinals football team and the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. He also supports the English football club Coventry City.

Muniz began dating actress and model Paige Price in 2016. They announced their engagement on November 18, 2018, and married on October 3, 2019. Their son was born on March 22, 2021.

Health Information

In 2012 and 2013, Muniz experienced health issues that were initially thought to be mini-strokes. However, in 2021, he clarified that these were actually severe migraine auras. He also explained that reports about him having significant memory loss were misunderstood. He said that while he had some memory gaps due to multiple concussions as a teenager, he did not have widespread amnesia.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  Muniz in 2025

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  Muniz in 2007

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  Muniz at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in 2011

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  Muniz's No. 35 car at Daytona International Speedway

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  Muniz's No. 33 truck at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025

See also

In Spanish: Frankie Muniz para niños