Frankie Muniz

Francisco James Muniz IV (; born December 5, 1985) is an American actor and professional stock car racing driver. Muniz came to prominence in the 2000s playing the titular character of the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006), for which he was nominated for an Emmy and two Golden Globe Awards. He also worked in the films Big Fat Liar (2002), Deuces Wild (2002), Agent Cody Banks (2003), and Racing Stripes (2005). At the height of his fame in 2003, Muniz was considered one of the most popular child actors and "one of Hollywood's most bankable teens".

In 2008, Muniz put his acting career on hold to pursue an open-wheel racing career and competed in the Atlantic Championship. He returned to racing in 2021 in stock cars, joining Rette Jones Racing for a full season in the ARCA Menards Series in 2023, where he finished fourth in the standings. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 33 Ford F-150 for Team Reaume.

Early life

Francisco Muniz IV was born in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, on December 5, 1985, the son of nurse Denise and restaurateur Francisco Muñiz III. Muniz's mother is half Irish and half Italian, while his father is Puerto Rican (of Spanish descent from Asturias). He has an older sister named Cristina. When Muniz was four years old, his family moved to Knightdale, North Carolina, where he grew up. He was discovered at the age of eight at a talent show in Raleigh, North Carolina, playing Tiny Tim in a local production of A Christmas Carol. His parents divorced shortly after, and he subsequently moved with his mother to Burbank, California. Beginning in the sixth grade, he was homeschooled by his mother.