He spent six years as Malcom, which debuted when he was only 15 years old.
Frankie Muniz has revealed in a candid interview about concussions and memory loss that he doesn’t remember much at all about being on Malcolm in the Middle, the cult TV show that shaped many of us growing up and introduced the world to Bryan Cranston and the catchiest theme song in the entire world.
Muniz appeared on the American Dancing with the Stars last year and in an extremely honest interview with ABC revealed that he simply didn’t remember being in the Fox sitcom, before detailing the true extent of his memory loss and susceptibility to transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), otherwise known as mini-strokes, that are caused by a temporary clot or blockage in the brain.
The baby-faced actor suffered his first concussion aged 7, another two whilst playing American football growing up, and then several more after leaving Malcom in the Middle and pursuing a career in motor racing.
It wasn’t until 2012 he suffered his first TIA, remarkably managing to make it home in one piece after it occurred whilst he was riding his motorcycle, but barely being able to recognise his own mother and girlfriend immediately afterwards. After a hospital visit he was given no definitive answer on the cause, despite several tests; the condition is typically caused by a small hole in the heart which Muniz found out he didn’t have.
He received his first Emmy nomination back in 2001 and Dancing with the Stars wanted him to recall such an important moment in his acting career. He told ABC how he simply didn’t remember the occasion: “They were going to ask me those questions and I told them, ‘To be honest, I don’t remember going to the Emmys when I was nominated.’ I don’t have any stories or anything cool for the package. I don’t specifically remember being nominated, or what I felt, or what we did. My mom told me we went to the dentist that day.”
To his credit he remains upbeat about his ongoing struggles with memory loss, relying on his mother and girlfriend to fill in the blanks for him, and is otherwise a completely content and healthy.
“I’m 31, I’ve never sipped alcohol, I’ve never touched a drug or taken a drag of a cigarette. The only thing I’ve felt was stress. I’m a high-strung person. I just like to always be moving. I’m not good at relaxing”, he explained.
“It’s a weird thing for me because I’m not sick. I’m not looking for sympathy or anyone to care about it. This is my life and I’ve moved forward. It doesn’t stop me from being anywhere I want to be. I’ve been so lucky and fortunate in my life to be able to do all the things I’ve gotten to do. I’ve literally had three dream jobs and I’m still continuing.”
Whatever happens in the future, we won’t be forgetting Malcom anytime soon.
