Frankie Muniz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frankie Muniz
Muniz at Daytona International Speedway in 2023
Born	Francisco Muniz IV (1985-12-05) December 5, 1985 (age 39) Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actor race car driver
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Paige Price ​ ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	1

Frankie Muniz (born December 5, 1985) is an American actor and a professional stock car racing driver. He became very famous in the 2000s for playing the main character 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.

Frankie Muniz also starred in popular movies like Big Fat Liar (2002), Deuces Wild (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 took a break from acting to start a career in open-wheel racing. He competed in the Atlantic Championship series. He returned to racing in 2021, this time in stock cars. In 2023, he raced full-time in the ARCA Menards Series with Rette Jones Racing, finishing 4th overall. Currently, he races full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Early Life and Discovering Acting

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

When Frankie was four, his family moved to Knightdale, North Carolina. He grew up there and was discovered at age eight. He was performing as Tiny Tim in a local play of A Christmas Carol at a talent show in Raleigh, North Carolina. Soon after, his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Burbank, California. From sixth grade onwards, his mother taught him at home.

Frankie Muniz's Acting Career

Muniz in 2007

Frankie Muniz started his career by appearing in commercials. His first movie role was in the TV film To Dance with Olivia (1997). That same year, he was in What the Deaf Man Heard on CBS.

Breakthrough Role in Malcolm in the Middle

A small part in the movie Lost & Found (1999) led to his biggest role: the main character in the TV show Malcolm in the Middle. This show first aired on Fox on January 9, 2000. It was very popular right away. The first episode was watched by 23 million people! Frankie was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2001 for his work on the show. He also won The Hollywood Reporter "Young Star Award."

Other TV Shows and Movies

During his time on TV, Muniz made guest appearances on shows like Lizzie McGuire, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and MADtv. His first main movie role was in the family drama My Dog Skip (2000). He also voiced Domino in the video game 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue.

In 2001, he voiced a bear cub in Dr. Dolittle 2. He was also the voice of Chester McBadBat in the first two seasons of The Fairly OddParents. In 2002, he starred with Amanda Bynes in the hit movie Big Fat Liar. They played students trying to get revenge on a movie producer. He was also in the movie Deuces Wild that year. In 2003, he had a small role in Stuck on You and appeared on Ashton Kutcher's TV show Punk'd.

Becoming an Action Star

Muniz then played the main character in the spy film Agent Cody Banks and its sequel, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London. The first movie made $47 million, and the sequel made $28 million. 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 move from being a child actor to an adult actor. In 2004, he wrote and produced a TV show called Granted.

In 2005, he voiced a zebra named Stripes who wanted to be a racehorse in the movie Racing Stripes. He also appeared as himself in an episode of Arrested Development.

Taking a Break from Acting

In April 2006, Frankie Muniz announced he would take a break from acting to become a race car driver. He signed a two-year deal with Jensen Motorsport. Malcolm in the Middle ended its run on May 14, 2006. Ten days later, on May 24, Muniz appeared in the horror film Stay Alive. He wanted to move away from traditional Hollywood roles.

In 2007, he helped produce the film Choose Connor. He also appeared in an episode of the crime show Criminal Minds and had a small role as Buddy Holly in the movie Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Later Acting Roles

In 2011, Muniz starred in the superhero 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, playing a racecar driver.

On September 6, 2017, Muniz joined Dancing with the Stars as a contestant. He and his partner, Witney Carson, finished in third place. In 2018, he became a co-host for Dancing with the Stars: Juniors.

In 2021, he was a guest star on ABC's The Rookie. He played a former child actor who became a cult leader. On March 24, 2024, he joined the Australian show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! but left for family reasons.

Frankie Muniz's Racing Career

Muniz at the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in 2011

Muniz's No. 35 car at Daytona International Speedway

Frankie Muniz has always loved car racing. On February 18, 2001, he drove the pace car for the Daytona 500 race. He even met famous driver Dale Earnhardt right before the race.

Early Racing Experience

Muniz's racing career began in 2004. He participated in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race in Long Beach, finishing 7th. The next year, he finished third. He then signed a two-year deal with Jensen Motorsport to be a driver. In 2006, he raced in the Formula BMW USA season. He also competed in the Formula BMW World Final in Valencia, finishing 29th.

Moving Up in Racing

In 2007, Muniz 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, voted by other drivers. In 2009, Muniz joined Team Stargate Worlds. He finished in the top ten in every race he entered, with a best finish of fourth. However, his season was cut short due to wrist surgery.

In 2011, Muniz returned to the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race and finished 4th.

Stock Car Racing

On October 23, 2021, Muniz made his stock car racing debut. He raced at Kern County Raceway Park in California. In January 2022, he tested for the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway.

On January 11, 2023, it was announced that Muniz would race full-time in the ARCA Menards Series for Rette Jones Racing. He finished fourth in the overall standings. He had one top-five finish and 11 top-ten finishes, including a fifth-place finish at Michigan International Speedway.

In February 2024, Muniz tried to make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Daytona International Speedway. He also planned to race part-time in that series. In June 2024, he announced he would make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at Nashville Superspeedway. He also planned two more starts for the team. On October 22, 2024, it was announced that Muniz will race full-time in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2025 for Reaume Brothers Racing.

Music and Business Ventures

Frankie Muniz has also explored music and business.

Music Career

Muniz was the drummer for an unsigned band called You Hang Up. In 2012, he joined Kingsfoil, a band from Pennsylvania. He left the band in 2014 because of his busy schedule. In 2017, Muniz became the manager for the band Astro Lasso. He travels with them, helping with their sound, lights, and driving.

Business Ventures

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

In 2018, Muniz and his wife, Paige Price, bought a small shop called Outrageous Olive Oils & Vinegars in Scottsdale, Arizona. He said they worked well together, with Paige handling products and social media, and he managing logistics. He explained that they bottled, labeled, and sealed everything themselves. In August 2020, they sold the store because Paige was pregnant. In May 2021, Muniz announced a partnership with The Ridge Wallet.

Frankie Muniz's Personal Life

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

In 2005, Muniz was engaged to Jamie Gandy. In 2008, he met publicist Elycia Marie Turnbow. They dated and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. They were engaged in 2011 but later broke it off.

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

Film and Television Roles

Film

Television

Video Games and Music Videos

Awards and Nominations

Motorsports Career Results

American Open-Wheel Racing Results

(key)

Atlantic Championship

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

Craftsman Truck Series

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

ARCA Menards Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series East

ARCA Menards Series West

See also

In Spanish: Frankie Muniz para niños