EXCLUSIVE: Frankie Muniz's Hollywood Escape! Former Child Star Admits Leaving Showbiz 'Saved His Life'... As He Now Focuses on Being a Race Car Driver
Frankie Muniz said leaving Hollywood saved his life as he now focuses on racing career as a driver.
Oct. 10 2025, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Former child star Frankie Muniz says that fleeing Hollywood at the height of his fame saved his life, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"Honestly, I did not like L.A.," said the Malcolm in the Middle alum, now 39. "So I moved to Arizona, and I love it. I feel like it saved my life in the sense that I started enjoying the little aspects of life more, like hiking [and] going to the grocery store, because it was easy.
"I didn't have to fight [to] find a parking spot or pay for valet."
Frankie's Massive Fame At A Young Age
Frankie Muniz said his mother pushed him into long days of interviews and autograph signings during the early years of 'Malcolm in the Middle.'
Muniz – who played the sitcom's titular character from 2000 to 2006 – said he paid a "high price" for the fame he wound up fleeing, with "maybe 60 days off" from ages 8 to 21 as he toiled in the entertainment industry.
"I remember at 13, 14 years old, when Malcolm was premiering, my mom would wake me up at 5 a.m. and I'd have to do 10 radio interviews and she'd make me sign 50 fan mail autographs, and then we'd go to set and work all [day]," said Muniz.
"You don't take it in good or bad. You just have to do it."
But when he moved to Arizona in 2008, he totally changed gears and became a full-time race car driver.
Career Change
Muniz described the thrill of winning his first race as the moment he decided to pursue a career in driving.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
"I was a huge racing fan, but never did it cross my mind that I'd be a race car driver," he recalled. "That feeling of crossing the finish line first was magical, and I knew in that moment, 'I want to feel this more.'"
Although he didn't totally slam the brakes on acting – he reprises his Malcolm role in a limited series reboot coming in December on Disney+ – he says he was happy he could put his "heart and soul" into racing.
"I was also at a point where I was just like, 'I'm good. I made tons of money, and I could kind of step away if I wanted to.'"
