“I Remember Being So Mortified.” Frankie Muniz of Malcolm in the Middle Talked About How He Missed Two Episodes Due to Conflicts on Set
Malcolm in the Middle star left the set of the TV series for two episodes over conflicts there. He did so in protest.
Malcolm in the Middle is a sitcom that debuted in 2000 and lived to see seven seasons. It told the adventures of a talented teenager trying to survive in his crazy family. The production enjoyed considerable popularity, as well as acclaim, garnering notable industry accolades, including seven Emmy Awards.
Frankie Muniz, playing the role of Malcolm, was the star of the series. The actor confessed earlier this year that there was a tense atmosphere on the set of the TV series at one stage, and “certain people were controlling or rude or disrespectful.” Due to the difficult situation and the fact that, according to Muniz, no one wanted to stand up to these people, so he left the set for two episodes in protest.
He told the story during the I'm a Celebrity Australia reality show (via news.com.au).
Here’s a story no one knows, ready? There were two episodes I’m not in. I walked off that set. Everyone was so afraid to stand up when certain people were controlling or rude or disrespectful, like they walked on pins and needles. I remember being so mortified by watching people afraid to stand up for themselves, kind of like, “Say something!” I didn’t care if they told me I was never going back, because it was worth it to me, you know what I mean?
Muniz thus wanted to express his protest, which he admitted was helped by the fact that the TV series revolved around the character he played, so leaving the set didn't end up getting him fired. However, he did not disclose who he thought had introduced an unpleasant atmosphere on the set of Malcolm in the Middle, or which episodes he did not appear in.
It is quite possible, however, that one of the episodes he was referring to was episode 17 from season 4 (Clip Show #2), where he appeared solely through archival footage. The second episode in that case would also have to be from season 4.
