Good guy Bryan Cranston still calls Frankie Muniz every few weeks

Frankie Muniz revealed that his Malcolm in the Middle father, Bryan Cranston, still keeps in close touch via phone calls.

Last Updated on December 2, 2024

Malcolm might not be in the middle after all. Frankie Muniz revealed that his former onscreen dad, Bryan Cranston, still puts him front and center by keeping in touch, making sure to call him on a regular basis.

It has been 18 years since Malcolm in the Middle went off the air, but that apparently means nothing to Bryan Cranston, who remains a vital figure in the life of Frankie Muniz. “He still reaches out to me every couple of weeks, check in on me. He really cares about what I’m doing, comes to the races, if my band was playing, came to shows. I mean, he’s such an inspiration, and like I said, that’s what I strive to be that for someone else in the future.”

The inspiration that Bryan Cranston gives Frankie Muniz is something he carries with him long after when most people probably figured his shelf life would expire. “I started working with him when I was 11, 12 years old. He really became like a father figure to me. And then even still to this day, you know, he’s essentially like a Hollywood god at this point. You know what I mean? Like he’s done incredible films, incredible shows, won tons of awards. Like he’s literally It.” That Cranston is still tight with two of his most famous TV co-stars (he and Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul remain buddies and business partners) is a demonstration of exactly what Muniz is talking about here. The guy is loyal and seems like one of the most genuine people in the industry. Muniz has reciprocated, too, turning up at Cranston’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremoy.

Obviously Bryan Cranston and Frankie Muniz have gone their separate paths — Cranston remains as busy as ever making movies while Muniz has broken through the competitive world of NASCAR — but their close bond is pretty incredible. Good on both of them, really, as they show that a series finale doesn’t mean a permanent goodbye.

So, the inevitable question: will there ever be a Malcolm in the Middle reunion? The show had a loyal following, lasting seven seasons and just over 150 episodes, so we can imagine there would still be support so long after the last episode in 2006. It might be tough to get Muniz out of the driver’s seat but Cranston has been all about the idea as of late, which could give it that nudge it needs.