The Sad Truth Behind Malcolm in the Middle's Frankie Muniz Leaving Hollywood

Summary

• The Malcolm in the Middle star didn't buy into the whole celebrity thing, despite the success of his sitcom.
• Hollywood took a toll on the young actor's mental well-being.
• Frankie Muniz was appalled by the Hollywood 'culture' he witnessed on the set of the sitcom.

Many people desire fame and celebrity status. But ironically, many of those who have found it don't seem to enjoy it. Modern Family's Ariel Winter, for example, didn't enjoy the media attention she received at the height of the show's success. But it's not just the scrutiny that ruins the perks of fame.

Frankie Muniz, the star of Fox's classic sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, was in his early teens when the show began filming. As the sitcom became immensely popular with audiences, it ran for six seasons and went into worldwide syndication, making Muniz a real child star. But apparently the actor didn't enjoy his position and eventually decided to leave Hollywood for his own good.

An Imposter Syndrome

Despite his early stardom, Frankie Muniz didn't really feel like he belonged in Hollywood. The success of Malcolm in the Middle seemed unreal and undeserved to the actor, who was unwilling to accept the rules of the game.

'I never felt like I fully fit in the Hollywood world, even though I was in the world. I was nominated for Emmys and Golden Globes, and I was going to all this stuff, and I was there, and I was like, how am I here?' Frankie Muniz shared in a recent interview.

But more importantly, the way Hollywood worked, the way things were done, the way some people acted and treated others, didn't sit well with the young actor. As a result, Muniz became reclusive and eventually left big Hollywood, making only small appearances in movies and TV from time to time. And it helped him feel better.

'I hated LA, so I kind of stayed in my own little world, my own little bubble. And moving to Arizona, I did it on a whim, and I realized immediately that I started looking up,' the actor said. 'I started enjoying looking at trees and birds in the sky. Going to the grocery store was a fun thing. You don't get that in LA. It's a miserable experience.'

Behind the Scenes Drama

Although Malcolm in the Middle was a comedy show, it had its fair share of off-set drama. According to Muniz, who was the star of the sitcom, some people on the set were completely disrespectful and rude to others, and no one would shake them up and tell them they were being a-holes. In fact, this kind of behavior caused the actor to skip two episodes of the 151-episode sitcom. And it only made him realize that Hollywood wasn't the best place for him.

Since Malcolm in the Middle, Muniz has appeared in a number of films and TV shows, but his greatest passion is racing cars. Currently, Muniz is an NXS racer. Hopefully he will be more content with his new career away from the travesty of Hollywood.

Source: News.com.au.