'Malcolm in the Middle' Cast Photos: Then and Now

Frankie Muniz played the titular Malcolm during the series' run from 2000 to 2006. He was 13 when he auditioned for the role, but he had already starred in TV shows and films including Agent Cody Banks, My Dog Skip, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. The character was initially written to be nine years old, so Muniz believed he was too old for the part. But producers liked his audition so much that they changed the age of the character and cast Muniz.

These days, you can still spot Muniz on TV — if you're a NASCAR fan, that is. In the last couple of years, he's raced in the NASCAR Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a professional driver. Though he's largely stepped back from acting to focus on his racing career, he reprised his role as Malcolm in the four-episode Malcolm in the Middle reboot for Disney+, which wrapped filming in May 2025. He shared on X, "Reuniting with the cast, getting to know some new characters, laughing till it hurt, and making new memories on set felt like a dream I didn’t want to wake up from."

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Bryan Cranston played Hal, the patriarch of the family on Malcolm in the Middle. He had been a professional actor for nearly 20 years by the time Malcolm in the Middle aired, with roles on major shows including Days of Our Lives, Baywatch, Seinfeld, and The X-Files. In a 2024 interview, he shared that he did his own stunts for the show, which included being strapped to a moving bus, being covered in bees, and pouring paint on himself — a stunt that caused his body to start shutting down since his body couldn't regulate heat when covered in paint.

Post-Malcolm in the Middle, Bryan has continued to have a successful acting career. Ever heard of a little show called Breaking Bad? Bryan won the Best Actor Emmy multiple times for his portrayal of Walter White, the main character of the show. Recently, he starred in Apple TV's The Studio and will soon be appearing in the Malcolm in the Middle reboot. Of filming it, he said, "Slipping back into that character of Hal for me was so rewarding — I missed him. It’s been almost 20 years since we said goodbye. And he’s a sweet, lovable man. He’s really a lovable guy, and it was fun to see all my whole family back together. It was great."

Jane Kaczmarek played Lois, the mom of the family on Malcolm in the Middle. In a 2001 interview, she shared of her character, "She's a great mother. Those kids don't get away with anything. I think the reason their mischief is so much fun to watch is because they're under such scrutiny by that mother. In order to get away with it, they have to be really clever, which is why it's fun to watch what they're up to."

Jane will also be appearing in the Malcolm in the Middle reboot. She said, "What a delight I get to yell at that kid again! We’re very excited about coming back together and seeing what this family has been up to." In addition to this project, Jane has appeared in many TV shows and movies, including This Is Us, The Big Bang Theory, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Christopher Masterson played Francis, the eldest brother of the family on Malcolm in the Middle. His character is the biggest troublemaker of the bunch, but his brothers look up to him for being fiercely independent. Prior to landing this role, the 19-year-old had already appeared in My Best Friend's Wedding, American History X, and Touched by an Angel.

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Post-Malcolm in the Middle, Christopher continued to act, with roles in White Collar and Haven. He also has a successful career as a DJ under the name DJ Chris Kennedy. He appears to have taken a step back from acting for the most part, with his last credited role in 2020. However, he is listed among the cast for the series reboot, called Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair.

Justin Berfield played Reese, the second-oldest son of the family on Malcolm in the Middle. His character mostly serves as an antagonist in the series, as he is immature and picks on his younger brothers. However, he's also shown to be a good cook and a creative thinker. By the time he was cast on the show, Justin had already appeared in 100 episodes of Unhappily Ever After, along with other TV projects.

The actor will also be appearing in the Malcolm in the Middle revival that will air on Disney+. In an Instagram post, he shared, "We’re so lucky that we got to come back to these characters after 20 years and see where they’ve been. I had so much fun getting to go back to my old life as an actor…now it’s back to carpools and diapers!" As the caption suggests, he has largely stepped away from acting in recent years to focus on the two children he has with his wife, Liza Almeida.

Erik Per Sullivan portrayed Dewey, the youngest brother of the family. Like Malcolm, he's very intelligent. He's also shown to be musically talented and one of the more empathetic members of the family. Prior to being cast on the show, Erik had a few small roles in projects including Wonderland, The Cider House Rules, and Armageddon. He was nine years old when Malcolm in the Middle premiered in 2000.

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After the series wrapped, Erik acted in a few more projects before retiring from acting. These days, he lives a very private life, though he was photographed in Boston earlier this year. His TV dad shared in an interview that Erik is getting a master's degree at Harvard. Bryan also shared that he spoke to Erik, who didn't want to participate in the show's revival, but said that he thought it sounds "fantastic."