Frankie Muniz has set the record straight regarding long-standing rumours about his health, clarifying that while he doesn’t have amnesia, a series of high-impact injuries have likely taken a toll on his memory.
The Malcolm in the Middle star addressed the speculation during an appearance on the Inside of You podcast on Tuesday, 7 April, explaining that his past comments have often been taken out of context.
While the 40-year-old actor admitted to having a “bad memory” rather than a clinical condition, he noted that his career as a professional racer hasn’t helped.
“It’s not like I’ve got amnesia. I have had nine concussions. That doesn’t help,” he shared.
The actor, who played the titular genius in the hit sitcom for seven seasons, suggested that his struggle to retain memories stems more from the frantic pace of his life than a specific illness.
Having worked non-stop since the age of eight, Muniz believes the nature of acting, where he constantly adopts and then discards different emotions and characters, has trained his brain to simply move on.
He explained that once a scene is finished, he often forgets it immediately to make room for the next day’s work, leading to a habit of not truly “taking in” his experiences.
Muniz also pointed out that his forgetfulness isn’t actually that unique among his former castmates.
While filming the upcoming revival, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, the actor noticed that even his co-stars, including Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, struggled to recall specific moments from the original series when shown old clips.
He likened his experience to anyone trying to remember a random week from their school days; while the highlights remain, the day-to-day details often vanish.
“I’ll watch episodes and I’ll be like, ‘Whoa, I don’t remember that episode,'” he admitted, noting the oddity of not recalling such a massive part of his life.
Despite the gaps in his recollection, Muniz remains remarkably positive about his situation, insisting that he doesn’t let it dampen his spirits.
He previously shared that while it can be jarring when people remind him of trips or events he can’t remember, he doesn’t feel sad about it.
For him, it is simply the way his brain works.
He told the podcast that he focuses on living the most fulfilling life possible and taking advantage of his time, rather than worrying about the parts he can’t quite bring back to the surface.
