Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz clarifies claims about his memory loss

Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz has walked back his previous claims he suffered severe memory loss and did not remember filming the hit show.

The 40-year-old actor has suffered mini-strokes and numerous concussions, and in 2017 claimed he had no memory of his childhood as a result.

However, Muniz has now told the Inside of You podcast that previous statements about his failing memory were taken 'out of context.'

'To bring up the memory thing a little bit – almost to clear the air a little bit – the story of that was taken out of context in a sense,' he explained.

The former child star now chalks up his forgetfulness to simply having a 'bad memory.'

'All these crazy stories have come out where people are like, "You don’t even know your wife." I just have a bad memory,' he said. 

The entertainer said he 'can remember lines' but struggles to 'absorb so many things.'

He elaborated, 'Since I was eight years old, I have been nonstop doing things – flying here, doing that and just crazy cool things. 

'I've also been an actor my whole life where every single day I’m pretending to be somebody else and having somebody else's emotions and somebody’s happiness or somebody's sadness or somebody's anger or someone's love interest.'

The former child star shared: 'They say "cut" when you're done with the scene and you forget about it. You never think about it again. Then you go on to the next emotion or the next day or the next character. 

'I almost feel like some of it has to do with the fact that like I'm so used to going, "Oh, I’m done with that." And I move on so that I don't even take it in.'

In December 2021 the performer – who pivoted to a race car driving career in 2024 – was a guest on Steve-O’s Wild Ride! podcast, and said there were misconceptions about his health circulating.

He said he'd been diagnosed with migraine auras after seeing multiple doctors.

Muniz also admitted he doesn't 'remember much' of the show that made him famous.

Reflecting on his time as the titular character in Malcolm in the Middle, he said, 'It almost feels like it wasn't me.

'It makes me a little sad. Things pop back into my mind I should have remembered. I've gotten to do anything that I really wanted to do. But the truth is, I don't really remember much of that.'

Muniz starred on the TV series from 2000-2006 alongside a cast including Bryan Cranston, Jane Kaczmarek, Erik Per Sullivan and Justin Berfield.

The actor is now leading the reboot Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, a miniseries premiering on April 10. 

The four-episode story will revolve around Malcolm's parents Hal and Lois who demand that he and his daughter attend their 40th anniversary party.