If you are a 90’s baby, you definitely grew up with the teenage acne-plagued face of Frankie Muniz gracing your screens. We saw him in Agent Cody Banks and Big Fat Liar, but it was his role as the middle child in a working-class family on the American sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle that garnered Muniz international recognition and success. The show scored Muniz an Emmy Award nomination in 2001 and won him The Hollywood Reporter Young Star Award.
We don’t get to see a lot of Frankie Muniz these days as he’s reduced his on-screen presence and is trying his hands at other ventures which he has excelled in. However, his exploits as a child actor still speak for him.
Frankie Muniz In His Early Career Days & Success As An Actor
Francisco Muniz IV was born in Ridgewood New Jersey on the 5th of December, 1985. His father Francisco III was a restaurant manager while his mother worked as a nurse. Muniz has a blend of Irish and Italian heritage which he got from his mother’s side while he got his Puerto Rican heritage from his father’s side.
Muniz spent his early childhood in Knightdale North Carolina until his parents separated and his mother moved back to New Jersey with Muniz and his elder sister Cristina in tow. He was eventually homeschooled by his mother, and this allowed him to take on different acting and television gigs without disrupting his school schedule. His first acting experience came at the age of 8 when he participated in his community’s theatre presentation of A Christmas Carol.
He eventually started his on-screen career in the mid-90s, making several appearances on existing shows such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Little Man, and had other small roles in a couple of movies. Frankie was then seen in the year 2000 playing the main role of Willie Morris in the period drama My Dog Skip alongside Kevin Bacon, Diane Lane, and Luke Wilson. It was from then that Muniz began to gain notable attention.
In the same period, Muniz was cast as ‘Malcolm’ in the hit television sitcom Malcolm in the Middle through which his career skyrocketed. The show ran for 7 successful seasons before its final episode in May 2006 and since its conclusion, Muniz has starred in various other popular films, including Big Fat Liar, Agent Cody Banks, Preacher, Harley Quinn, and the recent 2020 production, Total Bellas amongst others.
He Has Ventured Into Writing And Other Exploits
It’s pretty common for actors to turn writers, directors, and producers, and the same can be said for Frankie Muniz. In 2004, the multi-talented actor wrote and served as the executive producer for the television show Granted. In both 2006 and 2007, Frankie was the executive producer and associate producer respectively for the movies Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman and Choose Connor.
Frankie Has Dabbled Into Music Production & Drumming
Frankie has credited Zac Hanson for inspiring him to learn to play the drums. He initially joined an unsigned band ‘You Hang Up’ as a drummer before joining ‘Kingsfoil’ in 2012. The band is based in York, Pennsylvania, and endorsed by Imperial Cymbals and SJC Drums. Sadly, he had to quit the band in 2014 due to scheduling problems.
In 2017, Frankie announced that he is the manager for the band ‘Astro Lasso’ whose members consist of Tristan Martin and Jordan Davis from his former band- Kingsfoil. The band opened for ‘We The Kings, Cute Is What We Aim For’ and Plaid Brixx at the 10th anniversary of ‘We the Kings’ self-titled album tour in 2017.
His Long-running Interest In Cars & Racing
In 2001, he drove the race car for the Daytona 500 and had the opportunity to meet the notable car racer, Dale Earnhardt before that race claimed his life. Frankie’s love for racing didn’t wan even from this experience. In 2004, he ran the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race as a celebrity participant, finishing 7th and 3rd the following year.
As an aspiring racer, Frankie began to investigate the possibility of joining a racing team as an owner but was granted a test in a car instead. He then signed a 2-year deal with Jensen Motorsport as a driver. Between 2006 and 2011, Frankie participated in several races like the Champ Car Atlantic Series as he finished in the 22nd place with total earnings of $17,000 in prize money.
More so, it was gathered that he signed with Pacific Coast Motorsport in 2008 and won the Jovy Marcelo Award at the end of the season. In 2009, Frankie Muniz joined Team Stargate Worlds and finished in the top 10 in every race he contested. However, his season was shortened by wrist surgery.
He Runs A Speciality Shop
In 2018, Frankie and his partner Paige Price bought a small speciality shop in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona (Outrageous Olive Oils & Vinegar). While Paige handles the inventory and social-media related tasks, he tackles logistics and finances. All their products are bottled, labelled, and sealed in the store. Frankie has admitted that it is a lot of hard work but very rewarding, especially when people come in and rave about their products.
The Actor Has Done Quite Well For Himself Moneywise
For an actor who began his on-screen appearance at quite an early age, it’s safe to say that Frankie Muniz has built a very comfortable nest egg for himself. More so, for someone whose love for cars and racing runs deep, it isn’t much of a surprise that he personally owns an array of fast cars. He owned the VW Jetta from The Fast and the Furious (2001), as well as one of 200 Porsche Speedsters which is worth approximately $250,000. Besides a healthy passion for acquiring cars, Muniz doesn’t seem to be the typical Hollywood obscene spender.
With regards to his earnings, it is gathered that the actor made a combined $8.5 million from the two Agent Cody Banks films alone. He also makes money from Outrageous Olive Oils & Vinegar which he co-owns with his wife. All these contribute to Frankie’s current net worth which is estimated to be $40 million, a really impressive figure for a celebrity his age.
Franki Has Been Battling Transient Ischemic Attack
While in his mid-20s, Muniz suffered from a transient ischemic attack (TIA) which resulted in two mini-strokes and nine concussions. He later revealed that several tests were carried out to determine the root of his health challenge. He who had never sipped alcohol, taken drugs or even a drag of cigarette wondered why he would suffer from a TIA.
From all indications, stress was the major problem as he has admitted being a high-strung person who finds it difficult to relax. In a 2017 interview, Frankie admitted that he currently suffers from memory loss so profound that he struggles to remember working on some of his roles, including Malcolm in the Middle.
The Love Story Between Frankie And Paige Is Swoon-worthy
In November 2018, Frankie got engaged to his long-time girlfriend Paige Price. Paige is a former model who started modelling at age 18 and quit at 21. She was passionate about becoming a forensic pathologist but was offered a job with a golf network after her 21st birthday. She fell in love with golf and the television presenting and decided to toe that career path which was how she met Frankie Muniz. Their path crossed at the Frank Sinatra 100th anniversary invitational and began dating in April 2016.
The duo is very much in love and Frankie has stated that he would be lost without Paige, as she helps him cope with his failing memory by writing down bits and pieces of his day in a journal so that he can go back and read it. How sweet!
While there had been several speculations about when the duo would finally tie the knot, they shocked the world by eloping on October 3rd, 2019. However, they eventually got hitched on February 21st, 2020 and the ceremony was attended by close friends and family. Frankie and Paige currently live in Scottsdale Arizona and they have admitted that they definitely plan to have kids.
