Frankie Muniz, the former star of the hit TV show “Malcolm in the Middle,” has revealed a surprising personal choice: at 38 years old, he has “never had a sip of alcohol.” This revelation came during an interview with actress and “Jeopardy!” host Mayim Bialik on her podcast “Breakdown.” Muniz’s decision to abstain from alcohol is particularly noteworthy given his background in the entertainment industry, where such substances are often readily available.
During the interview, Bialik, herself a former child star, inquired about Muniz’s upbringing and whether it influenced his decision to avoid alcohol. Muniz responded, “Every family member in my family drinks. And that’s what they do for fun.” He continued, “I tried to figure out why I didn’t, because I don’t have a reason. It wasn’t, like, a religion.” Muniz speculated that his aversion to alcohol might stem from his “hatred towards time,” reflecting on how he felt older than his years during his teenage years due to his experiences in the entertainment industry.
Despite his early exposure to Hollywood’s social scene, Muniz managed to steer clear of drugs and alcohol. “When I was 15, 16 years old, I felt like I was so old. I had experienced so much. And I had experienced a lot in my life in comparison to most 15 or 16 year olds. but even though I was in the entertainment business, I never saw it, meaning the drug use, any of that stuff. I somehow stayed away,” he said. “I just went to the set and did my thing.”
Muniz also humorously recalled his family’s past with marijuana, saying, “I grew up thinking the only people who smoked p*t were criminals…on episodes of Cops. Now I talk to my dad about it and my mom and they’re like, ‘We smoked p*t every single day, you just didn’t know.’”
Now a father himself, Muniz shared that he was 18 the first time he was around alcohol. “In my mind, I felt like I had made it so long without it, I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going to start now, even though I was only 18.’”
Muniz, who has struggled with memory loss and suffered a “mini-stroke” more than ten years ago, also spoke about people’s reactions to his choice not to drink. “I couldn’t believe everyone’s reactions when I said I don’t drink. ‘Oh, we’re at a club, we have a bottle. You want a drink?’ ‘No, I don’t drink. I’m good with water.’ Everyone was either shocked or appalled that I didn’t drink. Or they’d be like, ‘Wow, that’s so strong of you.’”
He reflected on these reactions, saying, “I was always kind of like, ‘It’s so weird that people have such a strong reaction to me not drinking. Like, who cares? I don’t care what you do. Why do you care so much about me?’ I don’t know if I made a conscious decision, but it just stuck with me that I was never gonna drink or do anything.”
Muniz concluded the interview with a quip, “But now I’m 38 and I think I’m going to start tonight,” before quickly adding, “Only kidding.” His commitment to a lifestyle free from alcohol, despite the pressures and temptations of Hollywood, is a testament to his personal convictions and a unique aspect of his journey as a public figure.
