Frankie Muniz has set the record straight regarding long-standing rumors about his health, clarifying that while he does not have amnesia, a series of high-impact injuries have likely taken a toll on his memory.
He Malcolm in the middle The star addressed the speculation during an appearance on the inside you podcast on Tuesday, April 7, explaining that his previous 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 runner hasn’t helped him.
“It’s not that I have amnesia. I’ve had nine concussions. That doesn’t help,” he shared.
The actor, who played the titular genie on the hit comedy for seven seasons, suggested his struggle to retain memories is due more to the frenetic pace of his life than a specific illness.
Having worked non-stop since he was eight, Muniz believes that the nature of acting, where he constantly adopts and then discards different emotions and characters, has trained his brain to just keep going.
He explained that once a scene is over, he often immediately forgets it to make room for the next day’s work, leading to the habit of not really “taking in” his experiences.
Muñiz also noted that his forgetfulness isn’t really unique among his former co-stars.
While filming the next revival, Malcolm in the Middle: Life is still unfairThe actor noted that even his co-stars, including Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, had difficulty remembering specific moments from the original series when shown old clips.
He compared his experience to that of anyone trying to remember a random week from their school days; While the highlights remain, the day-to-day details often disappear.
“I watch episodes and I’m like, ‘Wow, I don’t remember that episode,'” he admitted, noting the oddity of not remembering such an important part of his life.
Despite the gaps in his memories, Muñiz remains remarkably positive about his situation and insists that he does not let it affect 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’s simply the way his brain works.
He told the podcast that he focuses on living the fullest life possible and making the most of his time, rather than worrying about the parts he can’t bring to the surface.
